Crimson Heart
by TheLambchop
Summary: Reunited after five years apart, Byleth returns to a land embroiled in war. As he fights at his Emperor's side, he must ask himself, do they walk the just path? How far will they go to bring about a brighter future? And what makes him so ready to follow Edelgard to the bitter end? A slightly altered telling of Crimson Flower with many original scenes within.
1. Reunion

_Author's Note: __Played Three Houses, loved it, and needed more in my life. The evolving relationship between Edelgard and Byleth was something wonderful to behold, and I knew I had to do some writing for it. I'm not ready to say goodbye to this pair yet._

_As for the tone of this story, if you've read my previous Fire Emblem work, Cerulean Heart, that will give you an idea. It'll be a long form, narrative focused piece with a mix of novelised versions of battles from various chapters, adapted scenes from the story and plenty of original scenes, too. Here and there I also intend to do the odd chapter focusing back on their Monastery days, usually to tie into something in the current arc. The growing romance between the pair will be a heavy feature, but it won't descend into pure fluff (maybe a few scenes here and there)_

_Hope you enjoy, this first chapter is pretty meaty, don't know if they'll all be this long, I never really plan these things out._

* * *

He felt adrift in a tempest of nothingness. He knew it was silent, yet he could hear voices. He knew he had no solid form, yet he felt the grab and pull of raging winds around him. Without knowing how, he understood that he had been here for an age, yet no time had passed.

"Professor! It's good to see you." A voice called out. He couldn't place it.

"Ah, Professor, I was wondering if you could help me with this project…" Another voice called from the nothing around him.

"Professor…"

"Professor!"

"Good morning, Professor!"

"My teacher…"

They called out endlessly. Deep voices, soft voices, tired voices, happy voices. Voices from before he was here. As the voices picked up intensity, the endless black around him began to muddle. Like a perfectly still lake hit by a pebble, the expanse began to ripple and fracture. Mixing into the darkness like swirling ink came colours, a softer black, red, purples, blues, greens, beginning to form constantly shifting shapes, shapes that he recognised.

A young girl with messy, purple hair, smiling up at him timidly.

A smiling, handsome young man with striking orange eyes bowing to him.

A woman with tanned skin and a mark beneath her right eye, swinging a sword at a practice dummy.

A beautiful woman with long, flowing hair topped with a hat, waving happily to him from across a field of grass.

A green haired boy, dozing off in a library with a book used as a pillow.

A short lad with striking blue hair, gesturing enthusiastically at a weapon rack.

A man with pale skin and eyes like a snake, giving him a curt, cutting smile.

The images mixed together and apart, forming scenes that made sense together and alone, equal parts a portrait and a puzzle.

"Ah, Professor, is the lesson over already?" Came a tired voice.

"Professor! You gotta teach me that technique!"

"I would like to be learning more from you, Professor."

Eventually, one voice began to win out amongst them all. A soft voice, yet there was clear authority in it, just as there was clear affection.

"My teacher…"

The swirling images around him began to break down and convalesce into a new shape.

"I've never told anyone about my past before…"

The new shape encompassed his entire vision, it was all he could see now, all he could hear. The colours were starting to settle into their new form. Long, flowing silver hair. Pale skin, a woman's face.

"They violated our bodies by cutting open our very flesh…"

The shape was beginning to settle. Like all the shapes before it, it was so very familiar, and stirred so many feelings in him… But yet… This one was different

"Sometimes I wish I could spend just one whole day doing nothing and gorging myself on sweets!"

To his surprise, a voice replied.

"Let's do just that."

Though the shape before him had still not fully formed, he could see, clear as day, a beaming smile on her face.

"Do you mean it?"

The shape before him changed and changed again, but it was always of this woman. Her face, pained, standing beneath a sea of stars. A look of determination as they stood on an open field. Her cheeks, burning red, glancing aside. More and more of these images appeared until finally, it settled on one.

Throughout it all, he realised, the shape and colour of her eyes had remained muddled and hidden from him. But now… He stared into them. A pale lavender, the eyes were wide in disbelief. Instead of the clothes he had seen her wear in all the previous memories, she now wore armour that looked far too big for her. A black and red cloak adorned the plate, with red feathers placed on the shoulder pads. All around them was an ancient tomb, littered with bodies and stained in blood.

"My teacher...I… Thank you."

The woman reached out her hand, and he reached for it back.

"Edelgard..."

* * *

Byleth gasped as his head broke the water. It felt like the first breath he had taken in years. So long had he been in darkness, that even the light from the grey, clouded sky above stung his eyes.

He thrashed his arms madly, gasping for air once again before the current took him under. It was only a few seconds until he managed to push himself up again, looking around in a manic fashion. Despite the water in his eyes and the sting of the sun, he managed to make out the river bank, not far away. Relying on pure instinct, he began to coordinate his movements enough to swim. It was rough, inelegant, and exhausting, his body felt stiff and with each swing of an arm, more water splashed into his mouth, his eyes, his nose.

After a tremendous effort, Byleth swung his arm forward once more, and found resistance that wasn't just water. His fingers hit the muddy banking, gouging into the ground. He pulled himself forward on this purchase, then repeated the motion with his other arm, again and again until he'd dragged himself out of the water. When his knees were able to find resistance against the ground too, Byleth began to crawl forward, still gasping for breaths. He climbed slowly up the river's banking, until he got to the flat earth above, then turned over onto his back, collapsing.

"Wh… Where…?" Byleth asked aloud. His eyes had adjusted now, and after a few more minutes of catching his breath, he rolled over, pushing himself to his feet, finally taking in his surroundings, though he quickly realised it was no where he recognised. There was the entrance to a large woodland on the opposite side of the river, and not too far behind him he could make out some houses.

"A village…" He muttered, wincing slightly in pain. His throat felt raw and dry, as if he hadn't used it in years. He began to walk toward the village, before something on the river's edge caught his eye. It was snagged between a pair of rocks, only a short distance down from where he'd dragged himself out. It was a sword that looked as if it had been crafted from bone, with a cross guard like a bat's wings. One look at the Sword of the Creator brought it all crashing back.

The siege of Garreg Mach, the battle against the Knights of Seiros and Rhe- No… The Immaculate One. Edelgard had declared war against the Church, and he had joined her. The siege was bloody, but they had been winning. He and Edelgard had fought Rhea, beaten her…

He winced, gripping his head.

_What happened…? Why am I here? _

The image of Rhea taking her monstrous form filled his mind. He raised his blade, ready to fight, and remembers Edelgard screaming his name… Then nothing.

_Edelgard._

The war… There was a war. What had happened to him? To Edelgard? To the other students? Panic and adrenaline surged through his body, replacing the fatigue in an instant. He skidded down the banking, grabbing the Relic, and quickly took off for the village.

* * *

_Five years… How could it have been five years? _Byleth thought to himself. As he entered the village, he got no small amount of strange, fearful glances. One particularly brave villager approached him, sword drawn, until Byleth assured him he meant no harm. After that, he'd quizzed the man. Thinking back, he must've looked stark raving mad, not that he cared that much.

Five years since Emperor Edelgard had declared her war on the Church and, as an extent, the Kingdom and the Alliance. For five years he'd been… Wherever he had been. Asleep? Dead? The villager had told him that the Imperial Army had taken us base in the Monastery and, quite recently, the Emperor and her personal entourage had returned too. That was all he needed to hear before he bolted off, ignoring the shouted warnings.

_They're waiting for me… My students… My friends… _

Despite how sore his body felt, Byleth sprinted through the woods, towards where the villager had pointed. _Garreg Mach is just a short walk through the trees and up the hill_ He had said. It wasn't short enough. He had to get there now. He had to get back to them. They needed him.

_And I need them._ He thought to himself. He hadn't even given a thought as to how he'd get in. If the Monastery was under the control of the Imperial army, there would certainly be checkpoints, guards and the like. He could think it through when he got there, for now, he had to push on. He burst through the trees, emerging from the woods, and looked up before him. Garreg Mach… He kept going.

* * *

Edelgard stared out the window, eyes focused on a pair of birds idling on the monastery walls. She knew Hubert was talking to her, recounting a report he had received from Imperial spies in Alliance territory. It wasn't the most important report, honestly, it wasn't even worth her time, but she knew she should be listening regardless. But it was impossible. It was that time of year again and her thoughts wouldn't be on anything else for the next few nights.

"Your Majesty…" Hubert called. "Your Majesty, please, though this report will hardly affect the war effort, you need to be kept informed." Edelgard glanced back at him, finally pulled from her reverie.

"I… Forgive me, Hubert. Please, carry on." Hubert nodded, then finished his report.

"Is that all?" Edelgard asked. Hubert nodded.

"Yes, Your Majesty." He said, bowing deeply.

"Then you may leave me, Hubert. Get some rest and something to eat. Even you have limits." Edelgard said, offering him a small smile. Hubert nodded, turned to leave, then paused.

"Your Majesty… I know it is that time of year, but-" Hubert began. Edelgard glanced aside.

"Please, Hubert. I don't need it… Not right now. Not today." Edelgard said. Hubert hesitated, opening his mouth for a moment. Deciding not to speak, he simply bowed again and left. Edelgard's gaze turned back to the window, back to the walls. One of the birds from before had flown away, she realised, leaving the other squatting alone. She sighed, getting out of her chair. She needed to be alone. Somewhere they wouldn't find her. Suddenly, a memory from years past came back to her.

"_Let's all agree to meet back here in five years time."_

She smiled bitterly… What had she been thinking, making a promise like that, knowing what she was going to do so soon after? She shook her head, trying to physically dislodge the memory, but it stuck to her.

"Five years…" She mused, when suddenly a thought struck her. A place where no one would go looking for her, a place of solitude. There was really only one such place in the Monastery that fit that description. Pulling on her large cloak and fitting her crown upon her head, she left her office and made for the Goddess Tower.

* * *

Byleth hurried through the Monastery's lower paths, a cloak pulled tightly over his head to hide his hair. As he approached the first checkpoint, by some divine fortune, the guards standing watch had been former Black Eagle students turned imperial soldiers. They had recognised him immediately. Between his hair and the sword he was unmistakable, after all, and the pair were quick to inform him that Edelgard was indeed in the Monastery, offering to escort him to her personally.

"Her Majesty will be overjoyed!" Exclaimed Karl, one of the two guards, a huge grin on his face.

"With the Professor back, we might change the tide of this war." He continued. Byleth smiled warmly at them.

_So they're not winning… But it doesn't seem like they're losing_ he thought to himself. After declining their offer for an escort, Byleth took a written permission slip from the pair in case he was stopped again, and also requested a hood to hide his identity.

"_I want to make it to E- Her Majesty without interruption" _He had told them, and the former students were happy to comply. He had now left the markets and entered the central grounds of the Monastery, his eyes darting around for any sign of those he knew. He had hoped to go unrecognised by his former core group of students until he reconnected with Edelgard but…. After five years of war, would all of them even be alive? Would any of them? He shook his head and pressed on, simply letting his feet guide him, no solid plan in place.

As he crossed the green outside the former classrooms of the three houses, he couldn't help but note how different the Monastery felt. Where there had once been flags adorned with the church's symbol, now flew the banners of the Empire. Spots that had once been filled with groups of chattering students now had crates stacked high, or soldiers milling around, busying themselves with whatever work they were given. He kept going, pushing into the dining hall. It was much the same here. Though there was still an obvious din of voices in the air, it was… different. Less laughter, he noted. In place of students, yet again, were more soldiers, the food on their plates a far-cry from the high-quality dishes served by the former cooks.

He kept going, lost in thought, until finally he made it to the large bridge before the chapel. He looked up at it structure, noting the damage from the siege all those years ago had yet to be repaired. It wasn't surprising, of course, nor did he ever particularly care for faith of Seiros itself but… For some reason he felt a pang in his chest. His eyes then drifted from the chapel to the structure next to it. Taller than the chapel, covered in ivy, the tower looked none the worse for wear as a result of the war.

"The Goddess Tower…" He whispered, a memory coming to him unbidden.

"_Let's all promise to meet back here five years from today."_ Came her voice.

_Five years_ Byleth thought.

_It couldn't have been five years to the day, could it…? I didn't ask the date…_

Byleth pulled his lips back, exhaling through his teeth. It was a stupid, hopeful thought. Honestly, he should've checked Rhea's former office first, it was the most obvious place for Edelgard to set herself up… But still… Something compelled him.

_She's in there… She's waiting…_

He pushed forward once more, heading toward the tower.

* * *

Byleth slowly climbed the stairs, a scant amount of sunlight breaking through the thick mat of leaves and ivy that covered the windows. The entrance had been unguarded, and the tower door left unlocked. Even now it felt like a foolish waste of time, hoping for her to be here, waiting for him. Yet with each stair he climbed, he felt his anticipation rising. The final few steps that led to the top chamber were in sight. He paused for just a moment, took a deep breath and walked forward, coming around the corner to see…

Her.

She was facing away from him. Her hair was different, her clothes were different… Even the way she stood was different. But it was unmistakably her. He began to walk forward, opening his mouth to make his presence known, before the sound of his footsteps alerted her.

"Halt! Who's there?!" She cried, turning around quickly, hand going to the sword on her waist. Byleth took another step forward. Edelgard froze, staring at him in shock. Her mouth hung open for a moment, her words clearly caught in her throat. Byleth took another step.

"It's me." He said simply. Her eyes went wide as her lower lip began to quiver.

"It can't be… Professor?" She asked. She stepped forward, reaching a hand out as if she meant to touch him, to make sure he wasn't some illusion.

"Is it really you…? But… I searched everywhere and never found a trace!" She said, almost as if she was arguing with herself, that he couldn't possibly be here. Byleth stared at her, his eyes meeting her own. There was so much he wanted to say, to ask but… Words had never been his strong suit. What could he possibly say to her right now? What could make up for five years of his absence?

"My Teacher… What have you been doing all this time?!" She asked, her tone almost accusatory.

"Where have you been?!" She asked again. She looked pained, already he could see the sting of tears in her eyes.

"I…" Byleth began. "I was sleeping." He likely could have given a more in-depth answer than that, but… Even he didn't understand it himself yet. Edelgard looked at him, her face a mixture of shock, offence, disbelief, that he'd give such a flippant answer. Then, before he knew it, her cheeks began to tinge red. A small smile came to her face as the tears started to trickle down her cheeks. When she spoke, she somehow managed to sound like she was shocked at his dismissive answer, and holding back a laugh.

"Joking?! At a time like this?!" She closed the gap between them, her hands coming up to grab his arms. The smile on her face slowly faded, but the light stayed in her eyes.

"You do realise it's been more than five years since you disappeared! Do you have any idea how guilty I felt? How _broken_ my heart was!" Edelgard said, the words pouring forth now. Words she'd clearly waited so long to say.

"I searched high and low after you vanished! Although there was no proof I somehow knew you were still alive!" She gripped his arms tighter, her voice beginning to waver.

"All this time, I've led everyone as best I could, and fought with all my heart. It's been a difficult path to walk alone…" She said, taking a deep breath afterwards. She met his eyes, tears still stinging her own. He didn't know what to say. What could he say in response to that? He knew that amongst all people that she knew, he was the only one she'd let in. The only one she could ever let her guard down around, and when she finally took the first step towards her destiny, down her path stained with blood, he knew that the thought of him being by her side had alleviated some of the tremendous burden she would have to bare. That, come what may, she wouldn't be alone.

And right when it all began, he vanished.

"Edelgard… I…" Byleth began. She looked at him expectantly.

"I'm here now." Was all he could manage. Edelgard's bottom lip quivered slightly. She let go of his arms, then slipped her own around him. She pulled him against her, her arms grasping him so tightly it was as if she was afraid he'd disappear the moment she let go. Byleth didn't return the hug, even as she gently rested her head against his cheek.

"Welcome back, my teacher. I'm so happy you're safe." Byleth relaxed slightly into the embrace, resting his head against hers in turn. This was new territory to him. He had no idea how to react, or even what an appropriate response would be here. As she pulled him tighter, her body pressing against his, Byleth could feel an odd sensation against his chest. Beating, rhythmic.

_Her heart_ he realised. It was beating wildly, so loud he could feel it against him.

"Edelgard." Byleth said. She didn't break the grasp, or make a sound, but he knew she was waiting for him to continue.

"I'm sorry." She didn't reply, but he felt her grasp him tighter.

_I won't leave you alone again. _He thought to himself.

_Not you, or any of the others. I swear._ Byleth stayed stationary, letting her hold him for as long as was needed. In this moment, he wouldn't dare to deny her anything.

* * *

The sun had set long ago, and now the moon sat high in the sky. The clouds from the morning had long vanished, and the full moon provided more than enough light for him to get around by. Byleth walked alone as he made his way through the Monastery grounds, mind still swimming with information. He had tried to sleep on the matter, but it was no use. He felt restless and needed the cold night air.

Five years. Five years of non-stop warfare. And, by Edelgard's report, neither side had much to show for it. They'd been locked in a stalemate, Claude managing to keep the Alliance in a state of tentative neutrality, whilst Rhea had fled to the Kingdom, seeking shelter from Dimitri. Since then, skirmishes and conflicts were common, with towns and fortresses being sieged, captured, then re-captured in turn. Any decisive victory was often met with a defeat in another location, the war grinding its participants down on all fronts. Edelgard, however, had a plan to change that, and with his arrival, she was confident she could do it. A decisive strike against the Alliance, first to take a key location, a large, fortifiable bridge over a river that cut through Alliance territory, then onto the Alliance capital. She hoped by striking at and defeating Claude, the pro-Adrestian forces within the Alliance would openly flock to her side, allowing her to peacefully take control over the Alliance lands. It was a bold, decisive strategy. He had hardly understood the political climate of Fódlan before the war, so any input he had on the matter now would likely be even more useless. But he trusted Edelgard, and that was enough for him. All he had to do was lead her armies to victory. To show up, to fight, to win. Was it really any different than when he was a mercenary?

_The amount of lives you would be held responsible for, for one…_ He thought, sighing to himself.

But it was not just the thought of the war that kept him restless. The reunion with his former students has been quite a shock, too. He recognised all of them in an instant, but they had all changed so much. They'd grown taller, their hair had changed, their clothes had changed. Even their voices had changed, albeit subtly. But the biggest change had been their eyes. They all looked so tired… Well, except Caspar, Byleth thought to himself, a small smile forming on his lips.

The war had clearly taken its toll. Dorothea's beaming smile had become far more subdued. Ferdinand's glowing demeanour, far more serious. The rest, too, had changed in so many small ways, but… The smile on their faces when they saw him. The sense of hope he felt in the room as they talked of how his return will be the turning point of the war. The smile that had crept onto his face grew wider style. They had missed him dearly. Just as he had missed them. He wanted to tell them that for as long as he was sleeping, he dreamt of them, of his time with them. How those cherished memories had stayed with him even to another plane of being. But he didn't, of course. The words came easy in his mind but, speaking them out loud was another matter entirely.

Byleth slowed his pace as he arrived to his destination. The cemetery. Just as he hadn't seen his students for five years, neither had he come to see his father. The bright moonlight cast an eerie glow on the graves of the fallen, and the chill night wind that blew in, rustling the grass and the leaves in the trees, only added to the effect.

_Should've brought flowers_ he thought to himself as he walked down the stairs. He approached the grave of his parents, his father having been buried alongside his late mother, and knelt down. To his surprise, the grave had fresh flowers on it, and had clearly been taken well care of. He was half expecting to see it had degraded from neglect, but…

He reached out a hand, touching the headstone. There was so much he'd wanted to say to the man. So much he'd never get to say, now. Their relationship had been a distant one, as far as he could remember, though he couldn't blame that on his father. He had walked through life like a dead man. Never really feeling, never really talking. Hell, barely even thinking that much. He just did as he was told, never questioning the orders, never thinking about the lives he took. Until he came here, until he met the students and finally, for the first time in his life, had people that relied on him.

By the time his father was taken from him, he was feeling his emotions more keenly than ever. For the first time, he felt a genuine connection between he and his father. When he saw the smile on his father's face, so happy and proud of his son for finally finding a place to belong… It had made him happy beyond words.

So many things left unsaid…

"And I'm no different… Even now…" Byleth sighed. He couldn't bring himself to tell the students how much he missed them. Couldn't bring himself to tell Edelgard that, amongst all that he dreamed of, it was of her, first and foremost, that held the largest place in his memories.

"Professor?"

Byleth jumped to his feet, whirling around in an instant, to see the shocked face of Edelgard. She was wearing a long, red gown, covering her body from neck to toe. Her hair, which had been up in intricate buns, now flowed freely, the same as he remembered it being from five years ago. They stared in silence for a moment, before a soft smile crept on her lips.

"Twice in a day we've happened upon each other now. Though at least I got to startle you, this time." Edelgard said. Byleth let out his held breath and smile softly.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't expecting anyone to come here at this hour." Byleth said.

"Nor I," Edelgard began. "Which begs the question as to what you-..." Edelgard stopped, looking at the gravestone behind Byleth.

"I'm sorry. That was a silly thing to ask." She finished. Byleth shook his head.

"No, it's fine. Sleep proved too elusive, so I came to see the grave. I was honestly expecting it to be neglected…" Byleth said, trailing off. Edelgard glanced aside, looking a little embarrassed.

"Ah, well, I made sure that no such thing would happen. I knew that, when you'd come back to us, it would do your heart well to see it well looked after." Edelgard said. Byleth smiled at her, feeling genuinely touched.

"Thank you, Edelgard. It means more than you know." He paused for a moment, before continuing. "And you? What brings you here?" He asked. Edelgard closed her eyes and sighed, a sudden strong gust of wind hitting the pair causing her hair to billow beside her.

"I know it's been a long time, but do you remember the talk we had one night, long ago? When you came into my room?" Edelgard said. Though five years had passed, Byleth's memory of his time at the Monastery was as clear as it had even been. For him, it was as if only a few months, not years, had passed since that night.

"Nightmares," Byleth said. "I'm sorry." Edelgard gave him a dismissive smile.

"I had thought I would be free of them tonight. This day has brought more joy and peace to my mind than any in recent memory," Edelgard sighed. "But it was no use. Seems my burdens are not that easily lifted." Edelgard said, walking forward, further into the cemetery, where many more graves stretched out.

"When I can't sleep, I come here. It's almost peaceful, in a way, when sleep evades you, to go visit those who will now sleep forever." Edelgard said.

"And it's a reminder, too. Each grave makes me think of how many I've sent to their own, these last five years. Five long years of war and death… All because of me." Edelgard gave a bitter smile.

"Though we walk the right path, it doesn't change anything. One such as I am undeserving of a sleep not haunted by spectres."

Byleth stared at her in silence. They'd often meet up at night after she confided in him. She had told him she couldn't bare to stay inside when the nightmares came, so she'd walk the grounds at night until exhaustion overcame her. That had changed, though, in the last few months before his disappearance. Byleth himself was a night owl and had never needed much sleep, besides. It took some convincing, but whenever a particularly terrible nightmare had haunted her, she would quietly sneak to his room, knock on the door, and the pair would walk the grounds together. Simply talking. About the nightmare, her past, lesson subjects… Anything to take her mind off it.

But she hadn't had that for such a long time. She'd been forced to bare it alone, right when she needed him most.

_So many things left unsaid…_ _I can't let it happen again. _

Byleth crossed the distance between them, pulling Edelgard into a tight embrace. Edelgard let out a small gasp, this clearly being the last thing she was expecting.

"M-my teacher!" She gasped. Byleth snaked one arm around her lower back, the other running through her hair to be placed on the back of her head.

"I'm sorry." He began. "Five long years of war… Five years where you needed me, more than ever. Five years worth of nightmares I wasn't there for." Byleth said.

"My Teacher..." Edelgard said, her voice shaking a little. Her arms now pulled around him, returning the embrace.

"For everyone that has been a victim of the Church. For everyone that has been a victim of Crests. And for those we can still save. I'll be by your side, Edelgard, until the very end." Byleth said. Edelgard leaned back a little, smiling up at him tenderly.

"And that is how I know we won't fail. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart." Edelgard leaned her head back against him. Once again, he could feel her heart beating. Though he knew his own would never beat like hers, it didn't change what he felt in it. The embers that had kindled during his time teaching his students was becoming a blaze. What it meant, and why it burned so brightly for the woman in front of him, he still couldn't fully say. But he'd find the answers by her side.

That, he was certain of.


	2. March

_Author's note: Another chapter done. Ended up being a big one again. Byleth's personal reasons for siding with Edelgard was always an interesting topic to me, and it's something I want to explore going forward, as you will see in the chapter. Also, I won't be waiting until the very end of the story for the romance to come to fruition, as it does in game. I just want to tackle my own version of seeing it grow between them. When it will be fully realised, though, well you'll have to see._

_This chapter is also heavy on the Byleth and Edelgard. The other characters will be having a lot of prominence going forward, interacting with both Byleth and Edelgard, but I haven't written anything in quite a while and I'm still feeling a bit rusty, so most of my focus is going onto capturing the voices of our main duo before I start seriously tackling the other characters. On that note, Byleth won't be the sole PoV character in this, it's just felt the most appropriate for the current flow of the story, for now at least._

_Anyway, hope you enjoy the chapter._

* * *

Byleth sat at the desk in his room, reading through the reports that Hubert had given him the night before. He had stayed with Edelgard for a short time in the cemetery, before the pair returned to their rooms. Thankfully, he had drifted to sleep quickly after that, and once again woke before the sun rose in the sky. He had been told a War council would be hosted today to finalise plans for the siege, so the first order of business for the day was memorising the details of the documents. Troop numbers, army equipment, troop placements throughout the continent, and most importantly, the troops that were available to them for the coming siege on the bridge. The Imperial army had certainly taken a beating over the last five years, but from all accounts so had the armies of the Kingdom, the Alliance, and the Knights of Seiros. Byleth exhaled sharply, taking a sip of water from the glass next to him.

Logistics was never his thing, and neither were large scale battles. He had fought in them during his time as a mercenary, taken part in sieges from both sides, but never had he commanded forces quite to this scale before. He focused again on the document listing what troops would be taken into this month's battle.

_The Black Eagle Strike Force and it's regulars will be assisted by six divisions of swordsmen, six divisions of spearmen, four divisions of spellcasters, one division of cavalry, one division of pegasus riders…._

Byleth kept reading, weighing up his options. They weren't in the position for a long, drawn out siege, but by all accounts the bridge was a glorified garrison, no impenetrable fortress. It was wide, but not wide enough to march a full army in there… He scratched his chin, already trying to formulate a strategy, when a knock came on his door. He glanced over, frowning slightly.

"Who is it?" Byleth asked.

"It's me. Good morning, Professor." Byleth smiled slightly.

"Come in, Edelgard. The doors unlocked." Byleth replied, turning his chair to face the entrance. Edelgard entered the room, greeting Byleth with a warm smile. Her hair was still down, which didn't surprise him. It was incredibly early and he imagined it took her a while to get her hair like that. She did, however, wear her crown. For her clothes, she'd opted for a red gown with gold embroidery as opposed to her imposing battle gear. Even so, he still noted the sword that hung from her waist.

_Probably a smart choice_ Byleth thought to himself. In comparison, the simple cotton shirt and trousers he'd thrown on felt incredibly droll.

"Professor," Edelgard began, "I was wondering if you would like to-" She paused, her eyes moving to his desk.

"Ah, familiarising yourself with the documents early I see. I commend that, your insight will be invaluable in today's meeting, so you knowing our forces inside and out is imperative." Edelgard said, smiling. Byleth glanced back at the documents, running a finger over them.

"I'm not sure I can help much with larger troop movement but…" He paused, briefly drumming his fingers on the paper.

"For the bridge? I've got some ideas." Byleth said. Edelgard nodded.

"I look forward to hearing them this afternoon. But that's not why I'm here. Professor, would you care to get some breakfast with me?" Edelgard asked. His face must've looked surprised, he thought, as Edelgard scowled slightly.

"What, is that a strange thing for me to ask?" She huffed. Byleth shook his head.

"No, of course not, I'd love too. It's just I couldn't ever imagine you knocking on my door to get breakfast before, that's all." Byleth said, smiling. Edelgard ran her fingers through her hair, as if to correct it, despite no hair being out of place.

"Well, we had a more official student, teacher relationship then. It wouldn't have been appropriate. I will always think of you as my teacher, but there's no reason for us to be limited by such formalities anymore, don't you think?" Edelgard said. Byleth considered this, then nodded.

"Mhm, you're right." He said, standing up. He corrected the documents then placed them in a lockbox that had been gifted to him by Hubert.

_If anyone tries to force this open, the contents within will be incinerated. _He had told him. Byleth locked the small container and pushed it under his bed.

"I'll change into something, then we can go." Byleth said, turning back to Edelgard. She nodded and left the room, closing the door behind her, as Byleth began to hunt for something appropriate to wear to breakfast with an Emperor.

* * *

After deciding on an appropriate set of clothes, the pair made their way to Edelgard's office, which had formerly been in use by Rhea.

"Normally, I'll eat dinner with the soldiers in the dining hall." Edelgard had said. "But Hubert insists that I have a personal cook for all other meals, one hand selected by him." Edelgard had sighed and shifted her voice to try and sound like Hubert. "Your Majesty, you have enemies the world over, who will resort to all manner of underhanded tactics to dispose of you, poison among them. I must insist that you take this person as your personal chef at all times." She had said. Byleth had laughed at the display.

"Have you been working on your Hubert?" Byleth had asked, causing Edelgard to smile coyly.

"Why, do you think it's good?" She had replied. The pair finished the walk to the office, where Edelgard sent a servant to go place their orders with the cook. Edelgard walked over to the the large desk, removing her crown and placing it down. She then motioned at the two chairs and table she had had set up. Byleth found himself slightly amused.

_She'd taken my acceptance as a foregone conclusion, then._

The pair sat down, and Edelgard began to speak.

"Professor, I was hoping to ask you more about where you've been these last five years." Edelgard said. Byleth nodded at her.

"What did you mean that you were "sleeping?" Edelgard asked. Byleth leaned back in his chair, folding his arms.

"I know it's not a satisfying answer, but I really can't think of another explanation. The last thing I remember is us facing Rhea, as she took the form of the Immaculate One. I remember a roar, the rush of heat… You calling my name and then…" He trailed off. Edelgard listened intently, but he could tell by the look in her eyes, even though he was back with her now, reliving that day in any capacity pained her.

"Then?" She asked.

"Nothing. For a long time, nothing… But it didn't "feel" like a long time either. It was as if I closed my eyes and no time had passed… But also like I'd been there for ages. It was like…" Byleth unfolded his arms and reached out, as if groping the air for the words. Edelgard was clearly hanging on his every word as she listened, her hands clasping the table and leaning forward.

"I think I started to dream." He said. Edelgard waited for him to continue, before prompting him when he didn't.

"To dream?" She asked.

"Yes. I was dreaming of the others, of my time here at the Monastery. Of the battles we fought, of my time with the students, with the faculty. It was like looking at portraits of moments in time, rather than… Reliving said moments." Byleth paused, frowning slightly. "Does that make sense?" He asked. Edelgard nodded tentatively.

"I think so… I…" Edelgard began. He knew her well enough by know to spot a hint of embarrassment in her features.

"What is it?" Byleth asked.

"I was just wondering if you…" She paused, then shook head head. "Nothing. It's nothing… Please, continue. Did any memories stand out?" She asked.

_You. Memories of you._ Byleth almost replied, opening his mouth to say the words, but they simply caught in his throat. He clearly left his mouth hanging open too long as Edelgard gave him a curious look.

"Uh, yes… A few. The night of the ball was there." Byleth said. It wasn't necessarily a lie, it did feature in the flurry of dreams, after all. The mention of the ball brought a smile to Edelgard's face.

"Ah, how long ago that feels now. Almost in another lifetime." Edelgard said wistfully. Byleth nodded, smiling at the memories.

"Do you remember our talk by the Goddess Tower?" Edelgard asked.

"Aye, you told me the story of how your parents met." Byleth said, before a grin formed on his face.

"I also remember, to my grief, that there was an incredibly long line of students queuing to dance with me after we returned to the ball. A line you ended up _cutting_ so you could dance with me." Byleth said. Edelgard's cheeks burnt red as she glanced aside.

"W-well! The night was getting late, and at that rate we'd never have gotten to dance! Even _Claude_ got to dance with you, it would have been absurd if the house leader of the group you were tutoring didn't get a dance whilst the leader of another house did!" Edelgard said, clearly flustered. Byleth leaned back in his chair, chuckling.

"As the Imperial Princess, I must insist that you step aside and allow me t-" Byleth began, trying to mimic Edelgard's voice.

"M-my Teacher!" Edelgard interrupted, clearly appalled.

"I've never known you to throw your Imperial authority around like that, so it was quite a shock." Byleth continued. Edelgard covered her face with one hand.

"W-well, as I said! Time was running out. At least we got to dance in the end." Edelgard said. Byleth let out another soft chuckle.

"My inexperience was on full display. I've had less trouble navigating battlefields." Byleth said. Now it was Edelgard's turn to laugh.

"It was a wonderful dance, My Teacher… You did well." A brief pause "All things considered, of course."

Byleth smirked slightly at her small, teasing insult, the smirk widening still as Edelgard beamed happily at him. They continued to reminisce for a time. Talking about particular lessons, of the celebration after their victory at the Battle of the Eagle and the Lion, of how Dorothea had snuck a few bottles of wine to the celebration and nearly gave Ferdinand a heart attack.

They focused on the lighter, happier memories. There was no mention of Remire, no mention of Flayn's kidnapping, or the events in the Holy Tomb. For that, Byleth was glad. He had no desire to dampen this moment in any way, not just for himself, but for Edelgard, too. He thought back to what she had said to him, the night before they sieged Garreg Mach.

"_With you by my side, I'm somehow free to be not only a leader but… simply Edelgard."_

When had she last had a moment like this, he wondered? To simply be herself, to remove the mask of the Emperor and relax. He watched her closely as she talked about the time they were cornered by an incredibly large group of cats on one of their night time walks. Her bright smile and happy eyes were a world apart from how she'd looked when he first saw her in the Goddess Tower yesterday.

_Tell her. Tell her how much you dreamt of her._ Byleth inhaled sharply, trying to steady himself. Why was it so damn hard for him to just speak what was on his mind?

_Now, don't waste this chance._

"Edelgard, I-" He was cut off by a knock on the door. "Your Majesty, your breakfast is ready."

"Ah, wonderful, please come in." Edelgard said, repositioning herself to be ready to dine. Byleth closed his eyes and exhaled sharply, letting the tension leave his body.

_Another time. _He thought. The servant placed the plates on the table. Toast, boiled ham and poached eggs. The pair gave their thanks to the servant and ate their breakfast in silence, albeit a comfortable one. After they finished, the topic returned to Byleth's disappearance.

"It's all still foggy but, wherever I was, it felt like something pulled me out of it. Have you ever been close to sleep and suddenly just… jolted awake, almost as if you felt like you were falling, but catch yourself?" Byleth asked. Edelgard nodded.

"Next thing I knew, my head broke through water and I was tumbling down a river." Byleth said.

"A river? But how?" Edelgard asked, perplexed. Byleth shook his head.

"I don't know. It was the river near the town just outside the Monastery. I managed to pull myself to the banking and spotted the Sword of the Creator there, too. How we both ended up there, I don't know." Byleth said. Edelgard paused, thinking deeply on the matter.

"You know, Professor, you don't seem to have aged at all since that day, either." Edelgard said. Byleth nodded.

"I noticed that, too. It only adds to the mystery. If I was stuck in some sort of hibernation as I healed, you think my body would show signs of it but…" Byleth said. Edelgard let out a "hmm" noise, then looked at Byleth curiously.

"I wonder… We might be the same age now, Professor. Or I might even be older." Edelgard said, an amused look on her face. Byleth couldn't help but laugh at that.

"All of my students, now older than me." He said, smiling. "What an odd thought."

Eventually the conversation turned to other topics, before finally settling on the upcoming strategy meeting. By the time they were done, the meeting was only a short time away, and the pair parted ways to make their preparations. Byleth returned to him room, donned his more battle appropriate clothing, and retrieved the documents from the lockbox for a final review, before heading to the cardinal room.

* * *

The war council had not taken too long. The general plan had been decided some time ago, though some adjustments were made both from Byleth's own input, and factoring his own considerable strength into the plan. With the plan now agreed upon, preparations would be made. Within the next few days, supplies would be loaded up onto carriages, weapons would be sharpened, armour polished and mended, siege weapons disassembled and made ready for transport, and the Black Eagle Strike Force would march to battle. Over the next few days, Byleth did his part helping load up wagons, discussing tactics with the others, and catching up with his former students.

By the time the sun rose on the third morning, the march to the Great Bridge of Myrddin began.

After nearly three more days of uneventful marching, the Imperial army set up camp a short ride away from the bridge. Scouts reported that the defenders knew the attack was coming and had shored up their defences, as much as they could.

"This was to be expected." Edelgard had said. "But it won't be enough. That bridge was designed for the passage of wagons and merchants, not to withstand a siege." She had finished. As the sun set, Edelgard called for a meeting in the Commander's tent to go over the plan one last time.

"Imperial Troops led by Markus and Ludwig will lead the vanguard." Edelgard said, pointing at the map. "They will rout the defenders who have sallied out to meet us. During this time, our siege weapons will rain down on their fortifications, taking out their archers and spell casters on the makeshift battlements they've built. They haven't had much time to prepare for this, so they've made them from wood. They won't last long against our catapults and ballista." Byleth, and the rest of the students listened intently. They all knew the plan by now, but the pre-battle tension, and the reality of being here, kept them all highly alert and focused.

"When the pathway is clear and the initial defenders are defeated, the vanguard will capture the market square at the entrance, a large commerce area where caravans stop to rest and restock. After that area is under our control, that's where the Black Eagle Strike Force comes in. The bridge is wide, but still too narrow for a large scale conflict. We'll need our most elite soldiers, and none are more skilled than those gathered here." Edelgard said, leaning forward to point once again at the bridge.

"The nine generals of the Strike Force, along with the battalions under their command, will push through onto the bridge itself. All in all, our numbers should be just over a hundred, but numbers won't count for too much when fighting in such an enclosed space." Edelgard said.

"Hubert, would you brief them on who we face?" She asked. Hubert nodded.

"Our opponent is Judith, the so called "hero of Daphnel." Hubert said. "From all accounts, the forces stationed there are not too numerous. They were expecting an attack, but not this soon. We can be sure that Claude has sent reinforcements the moment he caught wind of our approach, so when the battle begins we must crush the enemy as quickly as possible." He said. He paused for a moment, frowning.

"This close to the Alliance capital, there is a real possibility that among our foe's numbers will be those who we once called our classmates." Hubert said. Byleth swallowed hard, but his face betrayed no particular feeling. He had been fighting and killing all his life. He knew this would be coming since the moment Edelgard started this war. He briefly scanned the faces of the others, and saw similar sentiments on their faces too. He did note, however, that Dorothea seemed far more openly pained than the rest.

"Do not hesitate to kill them if it comes to it, as they will not hesitate to kill you." Hubert said. He glanced to Edelgard.

"Anything else, Your Majesty?" He asked. Edelgard shook her head.

"That is all. Thank you, Hubert. Get some rest, everyone. The siege begins at first light." Edelgard said, dismissing the assembled forces. As everyone cleared out of the tent, everyone but Edelgard and Hubert, Byleth turned to leave with them, until Edelgard called to him.

"Professor, can I talk to you for a moment?" Edelgard asked. Byleth turned around and nodded.

"Thank you. Hubert, you may leave us." Edelgard said. Hubert nodded his affirmation, bowed, then left. Edelgard stayed silent for a few moments after he left, before speaking.

"How are you feeling about tomorrow?" Edelgard asked.

"Confident. So long as we stick to the plan, I can't see us losing this battle, or taking any significant casualties." Byleth said. Edelgard nodded slightly, before continuing.

"That's good but… I mean about the possibility of fighting the others… The former students." She asked. Byleth looked at her quietly. From her face, her voice, he could tell that, even if it pained her, she had completely accepted this inevitability. It didn't surprise him, or even upset him. This was war, after all.

"I'll do what I must." He said. Edelgard frowned slightly.

"Are you just giving the answer you think will please me?" She asked. Byleth shook his head.

"I've been killing people for money for as long as I can remember, Edelgard. Thieves, bandits, rebels, enemy soldiers. Every single one of them was their own person, with their own past, their own dreams. Every single one of them was fighting that day for a cause. Be it their own beliefs, their own loyalties, their own survival."

Byleth said, looking down at his hand.

"The other students are no different. Yes, I knew them once. Yes, I liked them, and called them friends. But every person we killed before now had a history too. They had family, friends. Just because we know the person wielding the weapon, it doesn't mean we can fight with any less conviction than if they were strangers." Byleth said. Edelgard regarded him calmly, then nodded.

"I see." She said. Byleth looked up from his hand, meeting her eyes.

"Does that make you feel better?" He asked.

"I…" She paused.

"I'm sorry I asked you such a thing." She said, smiling softly. Byleth studied her face carefully, eyes narrowing.

_She's worried about me. Worried how it may affect me… She has hardened her heart to the reality of this war, but…_

"I've spent my life killing others simply because I was told to. My father taught me how to fight, put a blade in my hand, and that's… All I've ever known. When I came to the Monastery, for the first time, I had people to fight for. To protect." He said.

"And now I have a cause to fight for, too. You've given me that, Edelgard. A purpose. I'll fight tomorrow with that conviction in my heart. So, thank you." He said. Edelgard smiled warmly at him, the worry on her face melting away in an instant.

"No… Thank you, My Teacher. With you here, it really feels like our goal is just within reach. That there's an end in sight to all this bloodshed." The two quietly regarded each other for a moment, before Edelgard glanced aside.

"Now… Go get some rest, My Teacher. We'll both need it for tomorrow." She said. Byleth nodded and left the tent, walking to his own. As happy as it had made him to see her smile like that… Had he really told the truth?

_Did I side with her because I believe in her ideals… Because I support the change she wants to bring to Fodlan?_

_Or did I simply side with her because she's… Her._

Byleth shook his head. It's not like he disagreed with her, or her cause. His own father mistrusted the Church. He had seen with his own eyes the stranglehold they have on the continent. Just as well as he had seen how the fixation on Crests had ruined the lives of so many, Edelgard herself chief amongst them.

Even in his own travels he had seen the state of the land. Villages living in utter poverty, crushed under the heel of brutal taxes and cruel Nobles. People, destined to be born and die in the village of their birth, never having a chance to escape their cruel circumstances, all because they had been born unlucky. He had met so many wonderful, talented people, all destined to die having achieved nothing, after living a life of hunger and fear, whilst fat, pompous nobles lived in utter decadence, hoarding more wealth and resources than they could ever use up, but refusing to use it for the people.

Edelgard would change that. The price for it was steep, but Byleth, sheltered as he was, had seen enough of the world to know, it couldn't come any other way. He had met and worked for many a noble in his time. He couldn't imagine they would ever willingly bend to Edelgard's vision for Fodlan, just as the Church would never relinquish its stranglehold on the continent. This was the only path forward for Edelgard's dream to become a reality.

But… Did he really care about any of that? When he defended Edelgard, and had sworn to fight beside her, he had only one thing in his mind. He hadn't thought about the Church, or the common people, or Fodlan, or anyone else. He had only thought about how he could never harm her.

_Protect her, keep her safe._

He paused a moment, letting the cold night air blow against his skin. He focused on the rustle of the leaves and the distant sounds of activity from the camp. He inhaled sharply, trying to steady himself.

_No use thinking about this now. "The battlefield is no place for idle thoughts" as his father used to say._

"Father… What would you have done…?" He wondered aloud. He lingered for a few moments longer, before returning to his tent.

He needed rest.

* * *

The sounds of battle cries, screams, and metal clashing against metal could be heard from even here. Byleth stood atop a hill, surrounded by trees, along with the rest of the Black Eagle Strike Force. The siege began around an hour ago and the fighting was in full swing. Catapults and ballista battered against the wooden fortifications built around the entrance to the bridge, as the Imperial army crashed against the initial defenders.

"They're breaking through." Edelgard said, her expression utterly emotionless. Hubert nodded in agreement.

"Indeed. It'll be our turn, soon enough." He said. Byleth glanced around, taking another look at their assembled forces. Numbering near a hundred, he was certain it would be enough to take the bridge when they assaulted it. Here was the best of the best, after all, quite possibly the most elite fighting force on Fodlan, if he did say so himself.

"Alright, if we win here, it'll be one step closer to complete victory, right?" Caspar yelled, hoisting his axe in anticipation.

"Indeed," Agreed Ferdinand, "With this bridge under our control, not only will we have a solid forward base for the rest of the campaign into Alliance territory, we'll also have a new trade route to use in our dealings with our Alliance supporters. It's utterly invaluable, for economic purposes, as well as military." He finished.

"Yeah, yeah, we were all there at the brief, Ferdinand." Caspar said, rolling his eyes. Byleth looked away from the pair, focusing now on Dorothea, who stood only a few steps behind him. Her hands were clasped tightly together, and she stared at them vacantly.

"Dorothea, are you alright?" Byleth asked. The singer gave a sudden start, looking up at Byleth.

"Oh, Professor. Yes… I'm fine." She said, the apprehension clear in her voice. Byleth gave her a small, sympathetic smile.

"After this, we'll be one step closer to peace." Byleth said, trying to sound reassuring. Dorothea could only reply with a small, strained smile, and a look in her eyes that said _"I've been hearing that for years."_ Byleth winced slightly, and went to speak more, before he was cut off by Edelgard.

"The Adrestian flag has been raised in the Merchant Square! That's the signal!" Edelgard shouted. She hoisted Aymr above her head.

"We go forward now, to claim yet another victory! This battle is the beginning of the end, my friends! Our triumph here shall pave the path for our complete victory in this conflict! The end of this war, and of this bloodshed, is in sight! Come with me, fight with me, win with me, and we'll be one step closer to forging a better world for all! _For Fodlan!"_ She cried. The cheer was taken up by the soldiers most of the soldiers, as well as Caspar and Petra, but the rest seemed to only have grim determination on their face. Byleth took a deep breath, and readied himself.

"Forward!" Edelgard cried, and the Black Eagle Strike Force began to race down the hill.

* * *

"Judith, they've taken the outer defences and occupied the Merchant Square!" The scout yelled, clearly frantic. Judith, the hero of Daphnel, pursed her lips.

"They'll be on the bridge itself soon enough, then." She said, sighing.

"Reports from the front said the Emperor has yet to take the field." She said out loud, earning a look of hope from a nearby soldier.

"Is it possible she isn't with them?" He asked. Judith shook her head.

"No, it just means she's been conserving her strength for the real battle. It's likely she'll be leading her Strike Force as they assault the bridge. We can't beat them as we are, we simply need to hold the line and wait for Claude's reinforcements." Judith said. She began to bark orders at the soldiers around her, getting them into defensive positions.

"Ignatz, you're with me. Support my soldiers with that bow of yours if they get too close." She said. The bespectacled soldier bowed.

"Of course, Miss Judith." At his confirmation, Judith turned to the last remaining soldier.

"My orders?" The grizzled man asked.

"Take the third, fifth, and sixth battalions and lead the vanguard. You'll meet them as they break through." She said. He nodded and took off.

It was less than a minute later when she heard the peel of a warhorn, a soldier running up to her moments later.

"Lady Judith! They've broken through, fighting has already started on the bridge!" He shouted. Judith nodded solemnly.

_Until reinforcements arrive… We just have to hold._

* * *

"Faster!"

The yell came from the captain at the front of the group, whipping frantically at the reigns of his horse.

"They've likely attacked the bridge by now, and if we don't get there, we're gonna lose it!" He yelled. Leonie narrowed her eyes. If the reports were right, then Edelgard was amongst the forces assaulting the bridge. She gripped her horse's reins so tightly her knuckles were turning white.

_Edelgard… For the part you played in Jeralt's death. For getting Byleth caught up in your madness and getting him killed, too… I'm going to end you today. I swear it._


	3. The Bridge of Myrddin

_Author's Note: So my "shorter" chapter ended up becoming my longest one yet, though not by a large margin. I promise the next chapter will actually be shorter. Also a more character focused one, too. Thank you for all the follows, favourites, and reviews. I really enjoy reading them and love hearing people's thoughts on the story/the game itself._

_Enjoy the chapter._

* * *

Aymr tore a wide arc through the air, clashing against the haft of an enemy spear. It met resistance only for a moment, before it shattered the wood, and then the man wielding it. He let out a strangled cry as he fell backwards, blood pouring from his chest. He should've known better than to try and parry an axe with such a flimsy wooden haft, Edelgard thought, yet alone a relic weapon.

_But the Alliance was never known for its particularly strong military _she mused to herself. Edelgard brought her shield up, blocking the blow of the axe wielder who immediately charged her. Before she could bring her axe up to dispatch of him, a lance was thrust through the man's chest from an armoured soldier next to her. Edelgard pushed forward, using her shield to slide the still twitching corpse from the bloody lance, and met her next foe.

They were winning, plain and simple. Even the lowest ranking soldier on the enemy's side must have seen that. Edelgard, flanked by her honour guard, the Emperor's Flames, was leading the vanguard, with Byleth, Caspar, Petra and Ferdinand spread out around her, each with their own battalions aiding them. In the backline, Hubert led a battalion of mages, hand picked by the man himself, they were possibly the strongest group of sorcerers in the Empire. Together they weaved offensive spells, crushing enemies before they could even hit the Empire's frontline, and countering spells in turn. Their ranged efforts were aided by Bernadetta, who was leading a small battalion of archers in peppering the wyvern riders that kept flying over head and making sweeping attacks. Behind even them, was Dorothea and Lindhardt, who were overseeing healing efforts on any soldiers that needed to fall back.

They had poured through onto the bridge in an unstoppable tide, decimating the initial resistance and firmly establishing themselves. From there, they spread wide to cover the width of the bridge, just as their enemy was doing, and pushed forward to meet them. A small reserve force was sent across the smaller, wooden bridges that led up to a different segment of the bridge, where even more enemies were charging down from.

"Push forward!" Edelgard cried, bringing her axe up to meet the sword of the next soldier who charged her. Between her Crest enhanced strength and the power of the relic weapon, the man's weapon shattered from the blow, allowing Edelgard to follow through and crush the man's chest, blood oozing immediately from where Aymr's spiked edges digging deep. She pulled the weapon out and took a moment to assess the situation. The bridge was wide and long, it had to be to cover a river of this size and allow for the passage of merchant wagons. But they had already covered a significant amount of ground. Risking a glance to her left, she could see the whip-like blade of the Sword of the Creator tearing through enemies, making openings in the enemy lines that Petra and her warriors pushed into.

She looked forward again, the Alliance were still dug in tight, a deep formation of spearmen covered the entire length of the bridge. She couldn't see how deep the formation went, but it didn't matter. They couldn't hold. The bulk of this fight had been fought in the initial siege.

As if her thoughts had signalled the attack, the Alliance line in front of them was suddenly broken apart by a barrage of lighting strikes. Death howls pierced the air, only barely audible over the sound of the deadly spell. Hubert and his sorcerers had finished weaving the spell, it seemed. They had expected such a tightly packed formation to meet them, and had planned accordingly. Break the lines with powerful magic, push through the gaps. It was simple.

Seeing the enemy formation falter, Caspar charged forward, shrieking a battle cry that was taken up by his own battalion. The men under Caspar's command had not only come to expect the abrupt charges from their leader, but they started to seem to embrace it themselves. Edelgard had adjusted their tactics to account for this, and often relied on Caspar and his soldiers to be the mighty hammer that struck through the lines of their enemies.

_Just a little further…_ Edelgard thought, when suddenly, the sound of a piercing horn tore through the air, coming from behind them.

_That's the signal that enemy reinforcements have arrived._ Edelgard glanced to her left again, clenching her jaw as she saw Byleth and Ferdinand pull away from the frontline, taking their battalions with them, to reinforce the flank and meet the enemy reinforcements. Even in the heat of battle, a part of her yearned to be able to fight directly by Byleth's side, like they used to. But this wasn't some small excursion to do deal with bandits or the like. In her brief moment of distraction, she turned just in time to see a fireball being launched at her face, seconds away from hitting. Before she could even react, the two soldiers nearest to her on either side slammed their shields together, creating a barrier in front of her. The spell hit the metal and dissipated into embers. Edelgard cursed quietly to herself and gave thanks to her honour guard, before hoisting Aymr once more.

_I leave it to you, My Teacher…_ Edelgard thought, letting out a battle cry and following Caspar's charge.

* * *

Byleth rushed through the mass of reserve soldiers. They hadn't brought many with them, but the width of the bridge was only so wide, even a hundred soldiers made the entire battlefield feel claustrophobic. Byleth barked orders, soldiers parting quickly to let him, Ferdinand and their chosen troops through.

"Ferdinand! We push through on the bridge to the right and relieve the current soldiers there. We'll meet the reinforcements ourselves, get them to pull back on the bridge to the left, got it?" Byleth said. Ferdinand nodded, and started shouting the orders to his soldiers, who started forming up. Byleth primed the Sword of the Creator and began the charge across the bridge, clearing it in no time. As he reached the other side, he began the call for retreat. The tired and wounded soldiers slowly began to pull back, disengaging with what small amount of enemies remained, just in time for the portcullis behind the enemy lines to slowly grind open.

"FORWARD! ROUT THESE EMPIRE DASTARDS!" Came a booming voice. The weary Alliance soldiers cleared the way as the reinforcements pushed through, so numerous that there wasn't enough room for them to fully spread out into the small courtyard. Byleth grinded his teeth and wasted no time.

"CHARGE!" He cried. As his battle cry was taken up by the soldiers around him, he swung forward, the blade extending into its whip like form and eviscerating the first three soldiers to charge him. Another swing, another three fell. He couldn't use it like that constantly, the Blade only had so much power and would need to recharge, but he had always found it effective to disrupt enemy lines on the initial charge. Pulling the blade back into its normal state, he rushed forward and joined the fray, cutting down enemy after enemy.

Glancing around, he saw that the leader of this group was currently locking spears with Ferdinand, though it was impossible to tell who was winning. The battlefield was not so free that he could work his way over there and help his student, which meant he had to focus on who was ahead of him, which currently was a spear wielding man, maybe a few years older than him. He thrusted at Byleth's head, hoping to kill him in a single strike. It was a sloppy move, Byleth thought, as he brought the palm of his hand up against the wooden haft, knocking it high, then thrust his blade into the enemy's throat. Bile and blood poured from his mouth, soaking his short beard and staining his teeth, before he too fell.

_Edelgard wasn't wrong… They are certainly soldiers, but they aren't particularly formid-_

Byleth's thoughts were cut off as he barely dodged a spear thrust aimed for his head, once again. Unlike the soldier before it, the spear was pulled back before he had a chance to react, and was now thrust at his chest, a strike he barely parried away. Byleth went to retaliate against his attack, but froze on the spot as he locked eyes with her.

"_Leonie…"_ Byleth whispered, the name inaudible over the din of battle. Byleth's eyes stayed locked with hers, as her own widened in recognition.

"Byleth?!" She cried, frozen in place. The battle raged on around them as they both stood in shocked silence. By some mercy from the heavens, neither of them were struck down by a stray blow in that moment. His own words echoed back to him.

_The other students are no different._ That's what he had said. If he faced them on the battlefield, he would do what needed to be done, as a soldier. He had believed it, at the time. Believed he would be able to do this without issue..

How wrong he had been. Gritting his teeth, he raised his sword and began to lay down a flurry of blows on Leonie, who's instinct kicked in as she began to parry them.

"Byleth?! You're alive?! But there's been no sight of you amongst the Imperial ranks since the war began! We had all assumed you died!" She cried. Byleth said nothing, he couldn't. He couldn't let his will falter. Leonie's face, contorted from the effort of parrying his strikes, slowly turned from shock to anger.

"How… How could you side with _HER_, Byleth! Have you seen what she's done? Have you seen how much suffering and bloodshed there's been over these last five years?!" Leonie cried, no longer just parrying Byleth's attacks, but returning her own.

"On her order, countless have died, Byleth!" She cried, striking hard at him, now it was Byleth's turn to be pushed back, to try and avoid each deadly blow.

"Her own lust for power caused her to turn on her fellow students, to turn against the Church! Byleth, she let those monsters kill Jeralt! She _WORKED_ with them! And you're _HELPING_ her?!" Leonie screamed, rage clear on her face. Byleth had heard enough. He had hoped to keep his silence, but hearing her say these things was…

"It's not like that at all, Leonie! None have suffered at their hands more than her!" Byleth cried, feinting to the left then trying to sweep at Leonie's feet. It almost worked, but the length of her spear allowed her to bring it down in time to parry the blow, then follow up with her own sweep at Byleth's head, a blow he ducked under. Byleth gritted his teeth, but deep down, he couldn't blame Leonie for coming to that conclusion. When Edelgard first revealed herself as the Flame Emperor, he had thought it too, if only for a moment. But then he remembered how Edelgard had helped him achieve revenge on his father's killers. How she had just "happened" to know where that witch, Kronya, and Solon, were located. The agony in the Flame Emperor's voice as she pleaded with himself and his father to believe her when she said she had nothing to do with Remire village.

His thoughts then drifted to Hubert's private talk with him. Where he had explained how the organisation, who he had named Those Who Slither in the Dark, controlled enough of the Empire that direct action against them would result in civil war. How Edelgard's disgust at them, and their actions, had pushed her to CONSIDER this, just to avoid working with them, before Hubert had convinced her otherwise.

_No… Nothing is ever so simple_ Byleth thought to himself.

"She allowed them to-" She began, but surprising even himself, he felt anger well up in him as he struck back.

"She allowed _nothing_! Leonie, there is more to this than you know! The Church's crimes listed in Edelgard's manifesto all those years ago, they're true! Even Jeralt distrusted Rhea, distrusted the Church! He fled the Monastery all these years ago to protect me from Rhea, to protect me from their experiments!" He cried. Leonie's eyes widened at this.

"Jeralt…?" She asked, her blows becoming lax, now.

"I have his diary, you can read it for yourself, so please Leonie…. Please stand down, I can explain everything! If not for me, then for my father! He wouldn't want us fighting each other." He cried, desperate now. He couldn't believe his own actions, the emotion in his voice. The anger at her words, the horror at the thought of killing her. He cared for Leonie. They talked often, five years ago. Her bond with Jeralt had always made him happy, and hearing her stories about his father always brought a smile to his face, especially after Jeralt's death. She, just like him, was a part of his father left in the world. He had to preserve that.

"Byleth… I…" Leonie began, lowering her spear, before a lance ripped through her throat, showering blood over Byleth's face. The soldier next to him had dispatched his enemy, and saw an opening on Byleth's, an opening Byleth himself had caused. He ripped the spear out, showering even more gore. Leonie's eyes were unnaturally wide, tears stinging them, as she desperately clawed at her throat, spear dropped and long forgotten. Blood poured out of her mouth, a gurgling sound could be heard as she tried to speak. She took one pitiful step forward, a hand outstretched to him, before falling over dead.

"Got ya back, sir!" The soldier next to him said merrily. Byleth stood frozen in place, staring at Leonie's corpse, even now blood pooling around her.

_No…_

_No…_

_NO!_

Byleth clenched his jaw so hard he thought his teeth might break and extended his hand forward. The familiar scene of the world around him turning purple and white greeted his eyes.

_Save her. I have to save her._

Byleth focused his power, feeling the flow of time reverse around him. In some sort of sick parody, Leonie's corpse rose from the floor and stepped backwards. The lance pierced her throat once again, but where it had previously ruined flesh, now a whole, pale skinned throat was left.

_Here… Right here… _Byleth took a deep breath, readied himself, and let time's flow move.

"Byleth… I…" Leonie began. Byleth moved immediately. The soldier was already moving his lance forward as Byleth brought his sword up, smacking it away from the intended target at the last moment. Leonie's eyes widened in shock upon seeing him defend her, and went even wider still as Byleth rushed her, ripped the spear out of her hands and drew the dagger on his belt, pushing it to her neck.

"Play along." He whispered in her ear, before immediately dragging her with him into his own lines.

"She's a vital political prisoner!" He yelled.

"I need to escort her from the field!" Upon the order, the soldiers started clearing way, letting him through. Leonie cooperated, not struggling at all. He couldn't see her face, but he imagined the storm of emotions she felt right now was similar to his own. As finally broke out of the melee and reached the reserve forces at the bridge, he motioned for two soldiers he trusted.

"Take her prisoner, I need to get back to the fight. She's a person of vital importance for Her Majesty. If there's even one hair out of place on her head, I will know. Then Her Majesty will know." A brief pause. "And then Hubert von Vestra will know, too, that the will of the Emperor was ignored." The two soldiers paled, and nodded, taking Leonie off his hands and handling her as if she was a vase that might break from being poked too hard. Leonie glanced back at him, her eyes still wide, conflicted. He couldn't say anything right now, but simply nod at her, a pained smile on his face.

_Now… Back to the fight…_ He thought, whirling around, though it was clear there wasn't much fight left. From here he could see Ferdinand has slain the enemy commander, and there weren't many Alliance soldiers left beside. As Byleth pushed forward, the sound of a horn pierced through the air, one that didn't belong to the Empire. Over the din of the fighting, he could suddenly hear the cries of the enemy soldiers.

"Retreat!"

"Retreaaaaaaaat!" The cries came, as the Alliance soldiers began to flee back through the gate they had entered from. A few brave soldiers stayed behind to cover the retreat of their allies, as the portcullis began to close. Byleth pushed forward and called out.

"ALLIANCE SOLDIERS! Your sacrifice is noble, but needless! Lay down your arms and you _will_ be spared!" Byleth shouted. It was too late to catch the soldiers who had abandoned their allies, but these brave men didn't need to die if they were willing to be taken prisoner.

"Imperial Soldiers! Stand down, harm no man who throws down his own weapon! Kill those who don't!" He called. There was hesitation from both sides, but slowly, and thankfully, he found himself thinking, the Alliance soldiers who had stayed behind backed away and, one by one, threat their weapons to the ground, just as the portcullis grinded shut behind them.

_At least some lives were spared today…_ He thought. Edelgard had made it clear that they must prevent a full retreat at all costs. He understood that, and agreed with it. They couldn't let the forces here go and bolster Claude's. But if the soldiers willingly surrendered, and handed themselves over as captives, well… That was a different matter. He glanced behind him, only vaguely hearing Ferdinand's orders to take the soldiers into custody.

_Edelgard… How goes the fight on your end?_

* * *

The call for retreat was reverberating over the bridge as Edelgard and the rest of the army charged forward. The enemy was in full rout now, a few stayed behind to try and fight, but they didn't last long.

"Don't let them escape!" She cried! "Alliance soldiers, throw down your weapons and you WILL be spared! Those who don't will be cut down!"

Many of the soldiers conceded, throwing their weapons down and dropping to their knees. In the din of a regular battle, they may have been killed anyway, but the soldiers that accompanied the Black Eagle Strike Force were the best of the best. Their discipline and skill were unrivaled amongst the Empire and they had been given strict orders to not harm any soldier that was defeated, or had surrendered. She allowed herself a glade smile as she saw them rushing past the enemies that had surrendered to chase those who were fleeing.

Despite the mass rout, and how far they had pushed up, she still hadn't seen any sign of…

"Judith!" Edelgard cried, spotting the woman fleeing from the building in front of them, alongside a bespectacled boy that looked familiar to her. The pair were moving fast, far too fast for her to catch up in her armour.

_If she joins her forces to Claude and helps him with the defence of Derdriu, all will be lost. The casualties of a siege against such a force would be horrific on both sides… _

"Damn it… Petra!" Edelgard cried out. Within seconds, the Princess of Brigid was next to her. Edelgard motioned forward at Judith.

"That's the target, don't let her escape!" Edelgard commanded. Petra nodded, lifting her blade.

"Understood."

* * *

Petra rushed forward, blade in hand, weaving seamlessly between her own allies and the surrendering soldiers. In moments, she had overtaken even them and was now amongst the rush of soldiers who were fleeing, soldiers she ignored. They weren't her target, after all. She kept her eyes focused on Judith as she weaved among the throng of bodies. Most of the soldiers ignored her, too focused on their flight to consider attacking, though occasionally one would try to grab her or swing a blade, which she would effortlessly avoid.

"There." Petra said to herself, spotting Judith within range, as she had paused to command the retreating soldiers, demanding they flee rather than surrender. Petra crouched low and rushed her, drawing a dagger into her spare hand. Two soldiers spotted her, trying to intercept her, but it was pointless. A twirl of her dagger, and one fell, his throat opened. A swing of her blade and the same fate met the other. She was on her target now, Judith turned too late to notice her, all she had to do was raise her blade and-

Dodge aside, as a shower of arrows narrowly missed her. She glanced up to spot a young, bespectacled man.

"Lady Judith, please flee! I can hold them off!" He shouted. Judith grimaced, glancing between Petra and the young man, hesitating. Hesitation that wasn't present in herself. She launched a dagger at the man, the blade embedding in his arm, causing him to cry out and drop his bow. Sword still in hand she rushed Judith, swinging wide to try and remove her head, only to be parried immediately. Judith let out a frustrated cry.

"Retreat, Ignatz!" She called as she brought her lance down to strike at Petra, who deftly dodged aside.

"I won't leave you!" He called as he grabbed for his bow, the immense pain he felt clear on his young features. Petra rained a flurry of blows down upon Judith, trying to end it before Ignatz could launch another volley of-

Too late, she dived back, but not fast enough, as an arrow impaled itself in her right arm. She cried out, barely steadying herself to dodge the next strike from Judith. Behind her, she could hear the calls of the Imperial Army, who were quickly closing the gap. Judith spotted this too.

"Now, run!" She cried as she turned to flee, accompanied by Ignatz.

"No… I won't fail Lady Edelgard!" Petra cried, rushing forward and striking again at Judith. The woman turned, parrying the blow, a lot harder than Petra had anticipated. She fell back, completely knocked off her feet, and glanced aside to see Ignatz lining up a blow to finish her off.

_Grandfather… Forgive me…_ Petra prayed silently, knowing the marksman to be too good a shot to miss from thi-

A horrible cry rang out. Petra saw an explosion of pitch black magic consume the bespectacled young man. The arrow that had been lined up to take her life was incinerated in the attack, as well as his bow, and a few seconds later, himself. All that fell to the ground was a blackened, charred corpse. Petra looked aside, to see Hubert standing a distance away, arms outstretched.

"Ignatz, no!" Judith cried out, looking at the fallen boy. Petra wasted no time. Ignoring the pain in her arm, she pushed herself to her feet and jumped at Judith, burying her blade in the woman's throat and collapsing onto the ground with her. Judith choked on the cold metal, her hands wrapping around the blade and clenching so hard blood started to seep from them, until eventually, her eyes rolled back into her head and her life left her.

Petra rolled off her fallen foe, pushing herself to her feet. Within moments, Edelgard was upon her, worry plain on her face.

"Petra, are you alright?" She asked, eyes drawn to the arrow. Petra nodded.

"I will be fine. It is not being the serious." She wheezed. She knew immediately she'd worded that wrong, but was too tired to care in this moment. Edelgard nodded. Her eyes flickered from her to the corpse behind her. A strange mix of emotions fell on Edelgard's face, until she once again hardened herself. It was a process Petra had grown used to seeing her friend go through. Petra heard more cries go up from behind her, and turned to see that Ferdinand had led his troops and flanked around the Alliance soldiers, cutting off the retreat of those who had yet to flee the bridge.

"You're surrounded! Stand down, and you will be spared!" Ferdinand cried. The vast majority of the soldiers, realising their choices were surrender, or fighting to the death, threw down their blades. The few who chose to fight, did not last long, or were forcibly restrained by their own friends. Most likely to save their lives, Petra thought, this was not a battle they could win.

Petra looked back to Edelgard, who seemed to be readying herself. When the final Alliance soldier was on his knees, head bowed, she raised her bloodied axe above her head and cried out.

"The Bridge is ours! _Victory is ours!"_

The cheer that went up from the Imperial Forces was deafening. Petra allowed herself a small cheer. Victory was to be celebrated, after all, and this particular victory meant they were so much closer to peace. When the cheers died down, Edelgard and Ferdinand began to oversee the efforts of helping the wounded, on both sides, from the battlefield, taking them back to the Empire's healers who were already flooding onto the bridge now that the call of victory had been sounded.

"Petra, you get yourself seen to as well, okay? That's an order." Edelgard said. Petra nodded sheepishly, she _had_ been planning to stay behind and help, despite her wound. As she began to work her way back, she briefly looked back to see Edelgard kneeling beside a fallen, wounded Alliance soldier, beginning the process of treating his wound and preparing him for transport. She smiled.

* * *

The rest of the day was spent overseeing the post-battle duties. Byleth had assisted Edelgard and the rest in helping move troops for treatment, establishing a fortified position for themselves incase the enemy retaliated immediately, managing the prisoners of war and eventually, clearing away the bodies from the bridge itself. Edelgard would've been well within her right to leave many of those tasks exclusively to the soldiers of her army, but the Emperor insisted on helping.

"_If I am to create a world where all stand equal, I must set an example. All must do their part in this war, from the grizzliest tasks to the most mundane."_

That's what she had told him when he had asked why she insisted on joining in. Not that he thought she shouldn't be doing it, of course.

They were working until long after the sun had fallen, and by the time they had finished the debriefing in the command tent and finally got to slink off to their beds for much needed rest, the moon was high in the sky. Byleth had not left with the rest of the strike force, however, opting to remain behind and keep Edelgard company as she finished the writing of various documents.

"So, overall, it was a crushing victory." Byleth said, echoing sentiments shared in the debriefing. Edelgard nodded, not looking up from the parchment, her quill still in hand and scribbling away.

"It was. Few casualties on our side and the Alliance force was soundly defeated, barely a tenth of their number escaping." Edelgard said. Byleth paused before asking his next question.

"And the prisoners will be sent to work on farms in Empire territory?" He asked, wanting to confirm the matter. Edelgard nodded.

"Indeed, where they will remain until the Alliance has been conquered and absorbed into the Empire, where they will then be permitted to return to their homes and families." Edelgard said. Byleth nodded again, thinking how to broach the subject on his mind. To his relief, or maybe not, Edelgard spoke first.

"I heard you took an important political prisoner." Edelgard said, placing the quill down. Byleth gave a small smile.

"Seemed the easiest way to secure her passage off the battlefield." Byleth said.

"I was curious who it was you had taken. I assumed one of the former Golden Deer students, a few of them were from noble families after all. I was surprised to find it was Leonie, a commoner." She said calmly.

"Is that a problem?" Byleth asked. Edelgard finally turned to look at him, smiling softly. Any tension that was in his chest eased in a moment.

"Of course not, My Teacher. I may have hardened my heart the reality of this war… But when you told me you had too, a part of me felt… sad." She said quietly.

"Sad?" He asked. She nodded.

"It is my greatest fear that I will lose sight of my path. That my heart will turn too cold and I'll no longer see the value of the life of the individual. When I heard you say that you would feel the same, I…" She paused.

"To know that your heart still has so much compassion in it, that you'd reach out your hand to an enemy to make them a friend. It gladdens me, My Teacher. It let's me know that with you by my side, I'll never lose sight of what matters." Edelgard said. Byleth watched her carefully, her gentle smile, the look in her eyes as she gazed at him. He smiled back.

"Then I hope you'll consider my next request." He said.

"You want her to join us?" Edelgard asked, in a tone that made it very clear she knew this was coming.

"I do. She trained under my father, she's a warrior of considerable skill and an aspiring mercenary at that. She has never cared for the nobility of the Alliance, nor their causes." Byleth said. Edelgard stayed quiet for a moment, hand going to her chin, clearly considering the situation. Finally, she relaxed her posture and nodded.

"If you trust her, I trust her." She said. Byleth once again felt a wave of relief wash over him… Only for a moment, until he spoke again. A topic that needed to be broached.

"There is one problem though." Byleth said. Edelgard looked at him curiously.

"And that is?" She asked, lightly.

"She blames you for my father's death." He said, simply. Edelgard froze, her smile disappearing in an instant. A long, painful silence stretched out between them. He had never had this talk with her. He honestly never planned too, but…

"And do you?" Edelgard asked, no hint of emotion in her voice. Byleth simply shook his head.

"I don't." He replied. Edelgard's features remained as stone for only a few moments longer, before she broke eye contact with him, looking away.

"Even though… Even though I ally myself with those who killed him?" She asked.

"You didn't give the order. You didn't swing the blade. It was you who helped me claim vengeance." Byleth said. When Edelgard spoke again, her voice shook a little.

"Even though I knew they were infesting the Monastery and could've exposed them?" She asked.

"And in doing so, exposing yourself." He said quietly. Edelgard didn't reply, but also didn't look him in the eye.

"Edelgard I… I understand. Hubert told me about Arundel, about the situation with the Empire. About how deeply entrenched within it they are. To turn against them now would plunge the Empire into civil war. To have turned against them when you were in the Monastery would've simply had you… removed from the picture. I understand that. Those Who Slither need to be defeated. As does the Church. To go after the former first would've denied you the chance to remove the latter." He said, stepping towards her and placing a hand on her shoulder. She still didn't turn to look at him. He spoke these words from his heart, not simply to comfort her.

"Edelgard. I don't blame you. So don't blame yourself." He said. Edelgard looked up at him, a clear sadness in her eyes.

"Thank you… My teacher. I…" She began, being cut off by Byleth waving his hand.

"You don't need to say anything. I will talk to Leonie. I'll show her my father's diary, show her that he distrusted the Church and Rhea as much as anyone. That he started the fire and faked my death as a baby to hide me from Rhea. She'll understand, I promise." Byleth said. Edelgard nodded slightly. He pulled his hand away from her, grabbing a chair and pulling it to sit next to her. They sat in silence as Edelgard finished writing the last letters, until she eventually set her quill aside and started stacking the papers. When she was done, he turned to look at him, her face still a mix of emotions.

"My Teacher. Thank you, for your faith in me. Truly, I know that, because of my actions, I don't deserve it." She said. Byleth shook his head once more.

"You fight for a better world, Edelgard. And I fight for you." Byleth said, though even now the thoughts niggled at the back of his head.

_Do I truly care about some higher cause? About the plight of the common people?_

"My Teacher," Edelgard began, snapping him out of his thoughts. "We'll be based here at the bridge for a while before we resume our march into Alliance territory. There is somewhere I want to go tomorrow, something I wish to do. It would mean the world to me if you would accompany me." Edelgard finished. Byleth nodded.

"Of course, Edelgard. I'll be happy to." He said. Edelgard stood up from her chair, keeping the documents in hand.

"Thank you. Now I need to get these documents to Hubert and rest for the night." Edelgard said. Byleth nodded, standing up himself.

"I'll come find you in the morning." He said, earning a nod.

"And Edelgard… If tonight proves to be another restless one, feel free to come find me, like you used to back in the Monastery. We can go for a night time walk in the woods." He said, then smiled coyly.

"I don't imagine any would be assassins could pose a threat to the two of us combined, so we wouldn't need an escort." He finished. Edelgard returned the smile with an affectionate one of her own.

"I will, My Teacher. Though I imagine Hubert would have a heart-attack at even the thought of the two of us sneaking off into the woods together at night." Edelgard said, trailing off slightly as she finished the sentence. As the implication of her words seemed to hit her, her cheeks began to tinge pink.

"I-I mean! Because of the danger! Of course!" Edelgard said quickly, taking a step back.

"Not because of…" She breathed. Byleth tilted his head, genuinely not understanding why she was getting so worked up.

"Because of what?" He asked, the sincerity clear in his voice.

"N-nothing! Nothing at all." She said, quickly making to leave the tent.

"I will see you in the morning, My Teacher! Rest well!" She said, before quickly disappearing.

Byleth stood there for a moment, incredulous, before leaving for his own tent. Today had been long and exhausting, and he was as eager to rest as he was to find out what Edelgard wanted to do tomorrow.

When he finally got to his tent and fell asleep, he dreamed. And as always, as he had in those long years where he was neither alive nor dead, he dreamt mostly of her.


	4. The Village

Byleth stood alone in his tent, preparing himself for the day to come. He'd slept in later than he usually did, helped along by the pleasantness of his dreams, and managed to sleep through the night. Edelgard had clearly rested well herself, or, if nightmares had plagued her, she hadn't come to wake him. He'd have enjoyed her company, he thought, but was at least glad she might have had a restful sleep.

As he dressed, in lieu of his usual attire, he was donning a simple travelling cloak, a cotton tunic and trousers, with tough leather boots. He imagined if what Edelgard had in mind today involved fighting, she would've told him, so he didn't dress ready for battle. Despite that, the Sword of the Creator would go with him. Could never be too careful.

He finally pushed the flap of his tent open and stepped out into the morning light. It was an overcast day, the sky gray with the threat of rainfall. He then cast his eyes from the sky to the camp around him and began to work his way through it.

Tents stretched far into the distance, and even this early there was a flurry of activity. Sleepy eyed soldiers walking around, preparing for their daily duties, and even more tired looking folk who were clearly just turning in from a sleepless, work filled night of their own. As Byleth worked his way through the activity, heading towards Edelgard's tent, he spotted Dorothea among the crowd, turning in from what looked to be an incredibly long night. There were deep bags under her eyes, and her usually well kept hair seemed to be matted from sweat and grease. She was wearing a white gown that he recognised to belong to the medics of the camp, and if the dried blood stains on it were any indication, the medics had been incredibly busy. Byleth approached her, giving a simple wave.

"Dorothea, good morning." He said. The former songstress looked up at him, offering a small, tired smile.

"Good morning, Professor. Getting an early start?" She asked. Byleth nodded.

"Going to meet Edelgard." He said. Dorothea nodded, but said nothing, causing an awkward silence to fall for a moment.

"Dorothea… I'm sorry." He said, earning a surprised look from her. He shook his head and gestured at her.

"It must have been difficult. Tending to the wounded all night. I just want you to know, as your teacher… As your friend. I'm so incredibly proud of you." Byleth said. Dorothea regarded him quietly for a moment, her smile, though still unmistakably tired, becoming warm.

"Thank you, Professor. It…" She paused, running a hand through her hair. "It means a lot. This war. All this violence, all this death. It's so much…" Another pause "Sometimes, too much. I just have to remind myself it's for a good cause… Right?" Dorothea asked, pleading in her eyes. Byleth hesitated, before nodding.

"Yes… It is." He said, trying to ignore a nagging voice at the back of his head.

_As if you care for the cause. _

Byleth inhaled sharply, speaking quickly.

"I won't keep you from your rest then. You've done plenty to earn it." Byleth said, his attempt to leave being interrupted by the arrival of Ferdinand, his own, long, flowing hair equally as messy as Dorothea's. Not just the hair that was identical though, he noted, as Ferdinand was also wearing a medical gown, stained with dried blood.

"Good morning, Professor." He said, offering a curt wave. Byleth returned it.

"Good morning, Ferdinand. Helping the medics?" Byleth asked. Ferdinand nodded, but it was Dorothea who spoke, looking at the young noble.

"He was my assistant for the night." She said softly, a small hint of affection in her voice. Ferdinand gave an embarrassed smile.

"Assistant is too gracious, I just did whatever Dorothea asked of me. Not always without error, either." He said, rubbing the back of his head.

"You did wonderful, Ferdie. Now come on, we both need rest, we can catch up with the Professor another time. He's got business with Edie." She said, taking one of Ferdinand's arms in her own as she walked off. Despite the faint ache in his chest, he couldn't help but smile watching them go. Starting to make his way to Edelgard's tent again, he thought back on what he'd said to her. He'd meant what he'd told her, he knew that. He was proud of them. They'd all come a long way since the time he teaching them back at the Monastery. To see what this war did to them… But wasn't that the entire point of his teachings? Of Garreg Mach itself? To teach the highest of society on how to wage war, whilst also teaching them how vile it is? To teach them how to kill whilst condemning all killers?

He was at Edelgard's tent now, and he forced the thoughts aside. He gave a curt wave to the honour guard that stood watch, the pair moving out of the way as he approached.

"Her Majesty is expecting you, sir." One of them said. He nodded his thanks and entered the tent. Edelgard was sitting at a small table she had set up, her focus going from the paper in her hands to Byleth as he said hello.

"Professor. How does the morning find you?" She asked, smiling brightly at him. Her own attire was similar to his, he noted. A travelling cloak and comfortable clothes underneath, though they were quite a bit more ornate than his, he noted. She wasn't wearing her crown, nor was her hair done up in her new style, instead flowing freely.

"Well." He said, proceeding to tell her about his encounter with Ferdinand and Dorothea.

"Dorothea focused less on her offensive magics as the war dragged on and more on her healing. She's taken well to it." Edelgard said, her face falling slightly.

"She doesn't take well to the battlefield. I'm glad she, and I, have a reason to keep her from it." Edelgard said. Byleth nodded in agreement, thinking back to the academy days. He had suspected Dorothea had an innate talent for healing, and encouraged her to pursue in alongside her studies of reason magic. He was glad to see how much that had paid off for her in the end.

"So, Professor, all the arrangements should be in place by now. Are you ready to leave?" She asked, standing up. Byleth nodded.

"I am. So are you going to tell me where we're going?" He asked. Edelgard nodded.

"Not just us, I'm afraid." Edelgard said with a small smile. "We've got quite the entourage accompanying us. Come." Edelgard said, gesturing for Byleth to follow her. The pair left the tent, being saluted by the Honour Guard.

"There's a village, about a forty minutes march East from here." Edelgard explained as Byleth followed her through the camp.

"We're going to visit it." Edelgard said.

"Visit it? What for?" Byleth asked.

"Not too long ago, I had a long discussion with Ferdinand. He has always been against the idea of abolishing the nobility, it's long been a point of contention between us. But eventually, he did bring up a key point I hadn't considered." Edelgard said.

"And that was?" Byleth asked.

"Ruling over a nation, or being in any position of power, isn't easy. It takes a lot of knowledge, training, studying. He said that the nobility are trained from a young age in preparation for these leadership roles, and considers that training necessary, and if we are going to remove that system, we need something to take its place." Edelgard said. Byleth nodded. It was an astute point, one he hadn't considered himself.

"I want a society where the privilege of your birth does not hand you everything in life. I want even the most lowborn individual to be able to rise to the highest position of power, on their own merit. But it's not enough to simply give them the freedom to rise, we need to give them the tools to do so. To that end, he suggested that we offer a system of free education, available to all and easily accessible across the entirety of Fodlan. From there, those who work and study hard can give themselves the means to do… Well, whatever they want. To try and get into government, to learn a trade, to start their own ventures. That was Ferdinand's point. And I fully agree with him." Edelgard led Byleth through various, tightly packed tents, finally emerging out onto an open field, where various horses, wagons and carriages awaited, along with what he assumed was an armed escort.

"We talked in length about the logistics of this. It won't be cheap and it won't be easy. But nothing about this path we walk has been." Edelgard said, a weight in her voice.

"When we win this war and unite Fodlan, when we tear down the nobility, the process can begin. So many nobles hoard wealth beyond reason, wealth they never intend to spend on anything but themselves, not their people. A large portion of that wealth will be seized and distributed for the common folk in their lands. This wealth will then be put to use building public schools, procuring necessary supplies for them, whatever expenditures are needed to fund it. As for the salary of the teachers, that will be paid from the Empire's own coffers." She noted. Byleth listened, enraptured. He'd only learned to read because Jeralt made a point to teach him. In his travels, he couldn't remember meeting many literate people among the villages they stopped by. Nor had he met anyone who had received any form of education. They simply lived for the moment, thinking about the next meal to fill their ever hungry bellies, fearing the wrath of their local lords if they ever wronged them, worrying about bandits coming and pillaging the village.

A system such as this… It could present so many possibilities for them. Byleth had clearly stayed inside his own head for too long, as Edelgard turned to regard him.

"What do you think?" She asked.

"It… It sounds good." Was all he said. Edelgard gave him a small smile, though he thought he saw a hint of disappointment in her eyes, as if she wanted him to say more.

"I'm glad you think so." She said, turning and walking to the front of the caravan.

"The intention today is to get an early start on the process and get an understanding of how local settlements will react to it. We're escorting a distinguished Empire educator who volunteered himself for the job. We've brought the supplies of wood, metal and food, as well as a small group of architects and builders. They'll stay behind and help the villagers construct the school, if the villagers agree to it of course, then our esteemed teacher will stay behind and begin the process. First will be literacy lessons, then we'll go from there." Edelgard explained.

"It's something of an experiment. We need to see how it works out in practice, and what adjustments need to be done, before we start enstating this across various territories." Edelgard said. Byleth nodded.

"Have you tried this in villages in the Empire?" He asked.

"A few, and it's been mostly successful so far. Some villages aren't really interested and are happy to stick to their old ways, but we've yet to have a situation where an entire populace was disinterested. This will be our first time introducing it to occupied territory though, which is why I want to go myself." She said. Byleth nodded, understanding the reasoning. With the situation explained, Edelgard oversaw the final preparations for the caravan, making sure everything was in place, before she and Byleth fell into line at the centre, following the large carriage in front of them.

They made idle chat as they marched, talking about the battle, about the plan for when they reached the village. Edelgard explained that she intended to hold a meeting with the village leaders alongside the professor they had brought along and work out the logistics of the situation. When she was finished explaining that, Byleth talked briefly about how he intended to meet with Leonie and explain the situation to her.

"I understand, My Teacher, but please refrain from telling her everything about my past with Those Who Slither in the Dark. If you say that she can be trusted, I believe you, but that information is far too sensitive to fully disclose." She said. Byleth nodded, understanding completely.

By the time they had finished on that topic, a call came from the front of the caravan that the village was in sight. Edelgard and Byleth exchanged glances and made their way to the front of the line, where already they could see a curious crowd of villagers approaching them, with an elderly looking man at the front. Even from here Byleth could read their body language. Every one of them was terrified. There was no way they didn't know about the Bridge's capture by now, they likely suspected the Empire had come for them now, too.

"My Teacher, please wait here. I'll handle the negotiations." She said. Byleth nodded, watching as Edelgard walked forward, alone, to meet with the village elder. As she explained the reason they had come, the man visibly seemed to relax, which put the rest of the gathered villagers at ease. Finally, the village elder gave several nods, then turned around and waved his arms at the villagers to disperse. He turned back to Edelgard, bowing deeply, before gesturing for her to follow him. In turn, Edelgard turned back to the caravan, giving the signal for them to follow.

It wasn't a particularly large village, Byleth thought, as they entered. Around two dozen houses at best, with no particularly noticeable farmland, though he spotted quite a few vegetable patches in people's gardens. Judging by how heavily forested the area is, they make their living as hunters, he thought.

As the entourage they'd brought started to unload the various wagons, Edelgard approached Byleth, smiling.

"As I'm sure you've guessed, he accepted the offer. Myself and the professor we brought along are going to meet with the village leaders and discuss it in more detail. Would you mind helping unload the supplies?" Edelgard asked.

"Of course." He said.

"Thank you for helping, My Teacher, and thank you for coming with me. It means a lot to me for you to see this," she said, smiling brightly. "I don't know how long the meeting will be, but I'll come find you when I'm free." She said. Byleth nodded and waved goodbye to her, before moving to unload the supplies.

A solid hour and more had gone by, with Byleth and the rest of the Empire soldiers working with the villagers, distributing food, clothes and various other supplies. On top of the supplies to build the school, Edelgard had ordered a large assortment of various books, texts and encyclopedias to be brought along, which were being stored in the village's communal building in the meantime. Byleth was carrying one such book when he spotted a large group of children, who had previously been watching the soldiers with uncertain curiosity, now fixated on him. Wanting to help with Edelgard's efforts of making the villagers seem comfortable, Byleth offered them an awkward smile.

"Um, hello, children." He said. No one in the group replied, instead huddling closer amongst themselves and whispering feverishly.

"Can I help you lot with anything?" Byleth asked. Another huddle, more feverish whispers. Eventually, one of them slowly crept forward, and pointed at the sword on his hip.

"T-that sword, sir. Is that one of those "relc-tic weapons" people talk about?" He asked nervously. Byleth's eyes glanced down to the Sword of Creator, hanging from his hip.

"You mean Relic Weapons? Yes, it is." He replied. The kids collectively gasped, they whisperings becoming much louder now.

"Then are you a Knight?!" One of them asked, basically hopping with excitement. Byleth shook his head.

"Not exactly." He replied.

"But don't you have to be a Knight or a Noble t' have a "relc-tic" weapon?" One of the younger girls asked.

"Sort of, yes." Byleth answered. The kids looked at him, confused now.

"So are you a noble then?" The girl asked. Byleth shook his head.

"Not one of those either. I'm, uh, special." He said. This earned even more amazed gasps from the kids.

"Can you show us, please!" They asked, giddy with excitement. Byleth looked around, unsure what to do, before eventually turning back to them.

"Alright, alright. Just a look though, no demonstrations. And one of you, take this book." He said, handing the book off to one of them.

Byleth had only intended to humour the kids for a moment, just letting them see the sword. But before he knew it he was being dragged around the village by them, being shown their favourite spots to play Hunters and Red Wolves, or the spot where one of them had sworn she'd seen a ghost once.

At some point, the kids had expressed curiosity in the book, all but screeching with delight when they found out it was an epic story about a heroic knight. Before he had a chance to say no, he was reading it to them, the kids gathered in a semi-circle in front of him, the youngest on his lap, staring at the pictures. He'd completely lost track of time during this, and found himself getting quite intrigued in the story, to his surprise. As he came to the end of a chapter, he looked up from the book, briefly wondering how Edelgard's meeting was going, only to spot the Emperor herself a distance back, watching him quietly, a look on her face that he simply couldn't describe. It was certainly happy, she was smiling widely, after all, but… There was something else there too.

As the kids began to complain at the abrupt stop in their story, Edelgard approached. Seeing the new, imposing figure, the kid's complaints went quiet.

"My Teacher, I see you've kept quite busy." She said. Byleth laughed lightly in response.

"Ha.. I suppose I shirked my duty, didn't I?" He said.

"Not at all, having the children kept occupied made affairs go far smoother." She said, now looking down at the children.

"A talented group of kids indeed to convince my Professor to read to you." She said. The kids didn't answer, but a few laughed.

"Are you enjoying the book?" She asked. The kids nodded now, the previous air of excitement returning.

"Well… How would you feel about learning to read yourselves? That way you wouldn't need my Professor to read the stories to you, you could read as many as you want." She said. The kid's faces lit up at this.

"B-but, how are we gonna learn how t' read, Miss? Grandpa is the only here who can and he's far t' busy t' teach us!" One of the older boys said. Edelgard's smile became brighter.

"What if I told you that soon, there'll be someone else here who knows how to read? And he'll be happy to teach you all how to as well. Does that sound nice?" She asked. The kids nodded enthusiastically again.

"So I take it the meeting was a success, then?" Byleth asked. Edelgard nodded.

"There's still a few matters of logistics to work out, but nothing that we need to be here for. They're happy to accept the idea, and will be sharing our intent with neighbouring villages that they trade with. So all in all, it was a success." She said. Byleth nodded, then slowly began to grin.

"But… You know… It takes a while to learn to read. The kids here won't be able to finish the story for quite a while if we don't finish telling it to them now." Byleth said. This earned gasps of horror from the kids.

"Please Mr Byleth, you have to finish it!" One of them cried, backed by a chorus of "Pleases." Byleth, in response, faked a yawn.

"But I'm pretty tired. I don't know if I can continue… Without help." He said, looking up at Edelgard now.

"And Miss Edelgard there is an even better reader than _I am." _Byleth said. Within seconds, the kids were swarming Edelgard, tugging at her cloak.

"Please Miss Edelgard, please!" Came their cries. Edelgard looked at Byleth, her cheeks burning pink, but still smiling.

"W-well… I guess I'll have to help my teacher in a time of need, won't I?" She said. She sat over next to Byleth, where he handed her the book and, after no small amount of protest, the young child sitting in his lap, who was still eager to see the pictures. In turn, Edelgard leaned close to Byleth, their heads almost touching, so they could both see the pages. They stayed there for a while, taking turns reading, eventually each opting to voice different characters, putting on silly voices. They stayed there for quite some time, as the village was a flurry of activity around them. Soon, the sun was starting to set in the distance, just in time for the book to be finished. By the time it came for himself and Edelgard to say goodbye, the children were clinging to them.

"Please come back again! Please!" One of them begged.

"We'll learn to read really good, so come back and see us!" Another cried. Edelgard gently patted their heads, making them promise to work really hard in school when the time came. Byleth watched from a distance as the village elder approached Edelgard again, bowing deeply, his face the picture of gratitude. With the final goodbyes said, and the builders and professor left behind, the small group of Imperials pulled out of the village. Once again, Byleth walked beside Edelgard. They didn't speak much, but it was an incredibly comfortable silence. For that, Byleth was glad, as his thoughts were absolutely awhirl.

_Is this her dream? The future that Edelgard wants to build? Where children like those will be taught to read, educated, and free to follow their wildest dreams? Not stuck in the village of their birth, scraping to get by as their noble lords lived in decadence?_

Byleth had always understood her end goal, what she wanted. But it was one thing to understand it… Another to _see it._ To meet the people whose lives would be affected by it, changed by it. His gaze turned to Edelgard, who was staring ahead onto the road. The sun had long set now, and they walked under the moonlight, their way lit by the various torches held by the imperial soldiers and set up on the wagons. Edelgard's delicate features were lit up by the dancing orange flames, and Byleth felt a… pressure in his chest. He'd long felt differently around Edelgard than anyone else, he understood that. He knew that he dreamt of her, more than any other, for a reason. He knew he wanted to _tell_ her that for a reason.

But after today, seeing the results of her work, after spending so much time, so close to her, their bodies nearly pressed together, their heads touching. Seeing her soft, happy smile as she read to the children. The pressure in his chest was greater than ever before. Edelgard's eyes flickered to him, as if she sensed his staring.

"Professor? What is it?" She asked. He looked into her eyes, the eyes that stared so intently at him. His thoughts went back to Dorothea.

"_It's for a good cause… right?" _She had asked. He had agreed with her… But he didn't truly believe he cared.

But he did. Now, he did.

"Edelgard, I have a confession to make." Byleth said. Edelgard's mouth parted slightly in surprise.

"I… I see. What is it?" She asked, a slight hint of nervousness in her voice.

"You once asked me if I believed in your cause. If that's why I fought for you. I told you it was." Byleth said. Edelgard nodded slowly, concern starting to creep onto her face.

"I don't think… That wasn't the truth. Truly… The cause didn't matter to me. All that mattered to me was you. Supporting you. Standing beside you. Protecting you." Byleth said. Edelgard's face was now impossible to read, clearly not knowing how to react to such a declaration.

"I don't think I truly understood it all. The greater "scope" of what you intended to do. How the lives of the common folk were affected by the system, and how you sought to change that. But after today…" Byleth said, looking back to the direction of the village.

"I get it. I really do. And now I can truly, truly say, I fight for _you_, and for your cause, Edelgard." Byleth said. Edelgard turned her gaze away, looking at the floor for the moment. When she finally turned back to look at him, her smile beaming smile trembled ever so slightly.

"That means more than words can say, my dear, dear Teacher." Edelgard said.

"It's days like today that remind me why I'm doing this. Why _we're_ doing this. And it won't stop here. One day, all of Fodlan will be united under this new system. I swear this." She said. Byleth continued to look her at, the determination on her face, the fierce look in her eyes.

_Beautiful._

The word came to him, surprising even himself. People's physical appearances was not something he could ever really remember himself caring for, or even taking time to notice. Yet…

_She is beautiful._

Byleth felt the pressure in his chest get tighter. His instincts told him to hold Edelgard, like they had done in the Goddess Tower, or later again, in the cemetery. But this wasn't exactly the ideal time, or place. Without knowing why, or if it was even proper, Byleth reached for and gently took one of her hands in his, earning a slight gasp from her. She looked at him in surprise.

"M-my Teacher?" She asked.

"I… Thought it would be nice." Byleth replied simply. Edelgard looked at him, embarrassment plain on her face, until it was slowly replaced with one of her lovelyl smiles, as Byleth felt her hand relax into his, grasping him tightly. They said nothing on the rest of the journey home. Even after they returned to camp and made ready to part ways for the night, they simply regarded each other quietly, hands still interlocked.

"I better get some rest." He said. Edelgard nodded, a shy smile still on her face.

"Me too. I… Thank you, My Teacher. For everything." She said. Byleth nodded.

"And to you, too, Edelgard. Rest well. Come and find me if-" Byleth began, before Edelgard cut him off.

"Somehow… I don't think I'll be having nightmares tonight." She said.

Their eyes lingered on each other for a moment longer, before Byleth finally, reluctantly, untangled his hand from her, their fingers dragging together as they parted. Byleth finally turned away, beginning the walk back to his tent. He wondered if, once again, he'd dream of her, and only her tonight. He hoped that he did.


	5. Realisation

_Author's__ Note: Sorry for the delay on this one. Had a busy 2 weeks, moved out of my old place, into a new one, then starting back to University, getting myself settled here, sorting out various other matters. It's been busy and when I did finally get time to write, I was far too tired for it, only able to get bits and pieces done._

_As I adjust to the new schedule there may be another delay or two, but I promise to keep working on this story, I have a solid plan for all the coming chapters and a LOT of original scenes/new takes I want to write of our favourite pair. _

_Once again, thank you for the follows/favourites and especially the reviews. They always keep me going. Enjoy the chapter._

* * *

Byleth trudged down the dirt path that led away from the Imperial encampment. After a night of peaceful sleep he'd risen before the sun, and set out to do some fishing. It had been over five years since he'd last cast a rod, and he was quite eager to get back into it. Not just because he found the activity quite pleasant, but right now he needed something to distract him. This afternoon he was going to meet with Leonie and try to clear things up with her.

He wasn't entirely sure why he was so anxious. If she refused to listen and to join them, she'd be sent back to the Empire as a prisoner, not executed.

_Is it simply the fear that my last real connection to my father on this world will despise me then? _He thought. It was a disheartening thought, to say the least. He'd already thought about what he would tell her, and about how much he _could_ tell her. He didn't have his father's journal on him, nor could he go into specific detail on Edelgard's relationship with Those Who Slither. Even if he could get her to understand, it's highly unlikely that she'd be willing to fight her former classmates.

Byleth sighed and rubbed his head, finally coming off the dirt path and pushing through a clearing of trees, coming upon the banking of the river, and came to an abrupt halt at what he saw. He'd come here for solitude and peace, to brood over the coming meeting. He hadn't expected anyone to be here, least of all one of his students.

"Petra?" Byleth called out. The Princess of Brigid was sitting on a large rock that was jutting out of the river's banking, her bare legs submerged up to her shins in the water. She looked back at Byleth, first in surprise, then in joy.

"Professor! What is bringing you here this morning?" She asked, smiling widely. Byleth held up the fishing rod.

"Fishing. Yourself?" Byleth asked. Petra gestured to the water with her healthy arm. The other was still in a sling from where she had taken an arrow in it during the battle of the bridge.

"It is being some time since I have been swimming. Sadly, that is not being possible with this arm, so I thought to have my feet soaked…" She paused, looking thoughtful "To soak my feet in the water instead." She said. Byleth nodded, approaching the rock she was sitting on.

"Do you mind?" He asked, making to sit on top of it next to her.

"No minding, Professor. I will enjoy your company." She said, moving aside for him. Byleth nodded, placing the tackle box on the rock first, which Petra took in her own hand for safety, then climbing up to sit next to her. As he was placing bait on the line, he spoke.

"Is your arm healing well?" Byleth asked, jamming the glow worm through the hook.

"Yes, Lindhardt is saying that with regular treatment I should be well enough to fight when we get to Derdriu." She said. Byleth nodded.

"Just make sure you are. I know you want to help, but fighting before you're fully healed will only cause problems. You could make the injury permanent or get yourself killed." Byleth said, casting the line.

"I am knowing this, Professor, but thank you for your concern. I will not make myself a burden, if I am unfit to fight, I will not do so." Petra said. Byleth smiled at her.

"I taught you well." He said playfully, causing Petra to laugh.

"I am remembering when Caspar tried to fight some bandits near the Monastery before an injury in his leg was healed, all those years ago." Petra said, chuckling at the memory.

"The scolding you gave him was very frightening. It was a lesson I wouldn't forget." She said.

"Well, Caspar needed the extra discipline." Byleth said, a little embarrassed at the memory. Petra looked down at her feet, her smile becoming wistful.

"Do you miss those days, Professor?" Petra asked. Byleth didn't answer immediately, instead staring into the fast moving water of the river, thinking about his answer.

"Things were easier then. Far simpler. I would even say I was happier back then," Byleth said, pausing again.

"But I don't think I miss them. Pining for times gone by won't change anything, it's best to focus our energy on the here and now." Byleth said. Petra considered this for a moment before answering.

"I have understanding. When I was first taken from Brigid to the Empire, I was having many days of sadness and missing home. I was in a strange land, with strange people who spoke a language I had no knowing… No, that I did not know. " Petra said.

"I was very young and did not have true understanding of the situation I was in, that I was a hostage to keep my family at home in check. All I knew was that my father was dead and I was now completely alone." She said. Byleth listened intently. He knew this story, but it still pained him to hear it.

"Eventually I came to have understanding, that spending all that time wanting to go back was time I was wasting. Instead, I focused on my skills at battle, on the language, and whatever else I could to prove my worth, to prove Brigid's worth. I would make the best outcome of the situation I was in. It is the same now. We are in dark times, but alongside Lady Edelgard, we are being able to improve Fodlan, and fix things, yes?" Petra said.

"If only everyone could have your outlook, Petra." Byleth said, a sad smile on his face as he thought of Dorothea. He didn't doubt for a second that, if given the chance, Dorothea would leave all this behind and go back to the academy days without a second thought.

Petra had only smiled warmly in response to him, and the pair stayed quiet for a while as Byleth's thoughts went back to Leonie, his mouth falling open slightly as a realisation came to him.

"Petra. Your people warred against the Empire, and your own father fell in battle with them. But now they fight alongside Adrestia in this war, and you yourself serve Edelgard. Not because you have to, but because you believe in her, yes?" Byleth asked. Petra looked at him, confused.

"Yes… But you are knowing all this, why do you ask?" Petra asked.

"In the battle on the bridge, we captured a former Golden Deer student, Leonie, do you remember her?" Byleth asked. Petra nodded.

"I'm going to talk to her later, see if I can recruit her to our cause. I'd like to have her on our side for… Well, the reasons aren't important. She'd make a powerful ally. But how could she ever want to fight for the people she's spent the last five years fighting against? How did you manage it?" Byleth asked. Petra put a finger on her chin, pondering this.

"It is simply being that which it is, Professor. I fought at first because I had to. Eventually, for the friends I made, and now, because I believe in Edelgard. Maybe Leonie will not be wanting to fight her own people. But maybe you can be convincing her to fight alongside you against the Kingdom when the time comes?" Petra proposed, pausing for a moment before continuing.

"She was an apprentice of your father, yes? I am thinking she will not be forgetting that. I am thinking she may not fight for Edelgard, or for Adrestia, but will be fighting for you, Professor." Petra said. Byleth nodded slowly.

"Hm… Maybe you're right," Byleth said. "Thank you, Petra." Petra shook her head.

"There is no need for thanking… Er, thanks, Professor." Petra said. Byleth exhaled sharply, feeling some of the tension leave his body.

"So, Professor, I am hearing rumours around camp as I was heading to sleep last night." Petra said. Byleth looked at her quizzically, he never thought Petra was one for gossip.

"Oh?" Byleth said.

"They are saying you and the Lady Edelgard were spotted holding hands." Petra said with a large grin.

"What." Byleth said flatly.

* * *

Byleth had stayed with Petra for a while longer, mostly enduring her good natured teasing(and thankfully, not actual questions, as he knew for sure he wasn't ready to answer them yet), before he decided to pack up his gear and prepared to go meet Leonie. He returned to his tent, dropping off his gear and changing into something more appropriate, then made his way over to the mess tent, grabbing a plate full of sausages and potatoes when he was there.

_It's likely she'll be hungry _Byleth thought to himself as he carefully balanced the food on his plate and left the tent. As for himself, he had no appetite. His focus was solely on what was to come.

Byleth walked to the very outskirts of the camp, where the prisoners were being kept until they were ready for transport into Empire territory. It was a gradual process, moving large groups several times a day to different territories within Empire lands. Leonie was not among the larger group, however, due to his lie about her being a political prisoner. She had a small tent to herself, one that was constantly guarded. Byleth could see the tent now and gave a small salute to the guards in front.

"I'm here to see the prisoner." Byleth said. The guards glanced at each other, then to Byleth.

"Of course, sir." They said. Byleth nodded his thanks. He hadn't given forward notice, he thought, but there wasn't a person in the camp who didn't know who he was and his connection to Edelgard. He'd come to realise in recent weeks that sort of standing often allowed him to ignore protocol.

Byleth pushed through into the tent with his free hand, making sure the flap closed behind him, then turned to face Leonie. The tent was nearly empty, save for a few necessary features, among them a makeshift bed on the floor. Leonie had shot up from said bed the moment he entered, and was now eyeing him cautiously.

"I brought you breakfast." Byleth said, walking up to her and offering her the plate. Leonie eyed the food for a moment and took it from him, but didn't start eating immediately.

"What happened to Ignatz?" She asked. Byleth thought back for a moment. He remembered the boy from the Golden Deer, but hadn't recalled seeing him among the prisoners or the dead.

"I don't know. I didn't know he was there. He's not among the prisoners and he was not identified among the dead, as far as I know. It's possible he managed to escape." He said. Leonie stared forlornly at her plate.

"Yeah… Maybe." She said, clearly not believing it. Byleth sat down beside the bed and said nothing. He wanted to give her as much time as she needed. After what seemed to be an age to Byleth, she spoke.

"So what's going to happen to me?" Leonie asked.

"You'll be sent back to the Empire as a prisoner, where you'll likely work on a farm or the like. When the Alliance has been conquered and absorbed into the Empire, you will be free to return to your home, as will the rest of the prisoners." Byleth said. Leonie nodded slowly, taking a sausage and nibbling on it.

"There is another option for you, however, if you'd hear me out." Byleth said. Leonie looked up at him curiously.

"I'd like you to lend your strength to our cause, Leonie." Byleth said. Leonie's eyes widened slightly, her mouth dropping open. She stared at him in this manner for a moment, before finally speaking.

"You… Want me to join the Imperial army?" She asked.

"Specifically, the Black Eagle Strike Force. The elite group led by Edelgard herself." Byleth said. Leonie stared at him, her mouth slowly closing and her widened eyes narrowing.

"I thought I made it clear what I think of-" Leonie began, before stopping herself. She took a deep, steadying breath, then looked at Byleth evenly.

"You said you could explain the situation. If it were anyone else I'd…" Leonie paused, stopping herself again.

"But for Jeralt's son… For you, Byleth. If even you don't blame her, I owe it to Jeralt to hear you out." Leonie said. Byleth nodded, and began to explain to Leonie, without revealing it all, how Edelgard has never controlled Those Who Slither in the Dark. How they are a force in their own right, one that Edelgard seeks to destroy, but simply cannot before the Church is dealt with.

"So she truly, truly didn't know they were going to kill Jeralt?" She asked. Byleth shook his head.

"They act independently of her. They only bring her into their schemes when they can use her as a puppet in them, and even then she works to undermine them. As I said, after Jeralt's death Edelgard jeopardized her own position to help me get revenge on his killers. She was the one who led us to where they were hiding." Byleth explained. He continued the explanation, explaining to Leonie how the contents of Edelgard's manifesto from five years ago wasn't a lie. The truth about the Church, the Crests, about Rhea and how she has shaped history to her whims. Leonie listened intently, clearly shocked at what she was hearing.

After Byleth finished, he let Leonie sit in silence as she processed all of this.

"And you said that Jeralt himself distrusted Rhea? And the Church?" Leonie asked. Byleth nodded.

"His journal is back at Garreg Mach. I'll happily show it to you when we get back there." Byleth said. Leonie nodded, and fell back into another stretch of silence.

"So the war… It wasn't simply a war of conquest by Edelgard. She is doing this to oppose the Church and change the system?" She asked. Byleth nodded.

"I understand now but… Can such a cause justify this much death?" She said, clearly thinking aloud. Byleth lowered his head.

"I don't know. It's not for me to say. I simply know that I believe in Edelgard. I've seen first hand the changes she wants to bring to the land. I believe those changes to be just. For that, and for how important Edelgard is to me, I will fight by her side. I don't need anything else, let those who walk after us decide how just our cause was." Byleth said. Leonie nodded, drumming her fingers on her arm.

"Before he… A few days before he died, Jeralt told me that if anything were to happen to him, he wanted me to support you, no matter what." Leonie said. Byleth swallowed hard, tensing up at the mention of his father.

"I agreed of course, but… Before I knew what was happening, the Imperial Army was attacking the Monastery and you were nowhere to be found. Then, after that, there were no sightings of you anywhere. Everyone thought you were dead. I didn't know why you'd sided with Edelgard, I thought she might have tricked you somehow… And so I blamed her. For your death. For Jeralt's…" Leonie said. She took a steadying breath.

"I don't know if what Edelgard is doing is right. I've lost people fighting her armies over the last five years, I don't know anyone who hasn't. Because of that, I simply can't fight for her." Leonie said. Byleth nodded in acceptance. He'd expected this outcome, after all.

"But I will fight for you, Byleth. Not as a member of the Imperial army, but as a mercenary in the employ of Byleth Eisner. I'll honour my last promise to Jeralt. After everything he did for me, I owe him that," Leonie said "And… For the friendship we had. A friendship I hope we can have again." Leonie finished, offering Byleth a small smile.

"Thank you, Leonie. You and I, we're Jeralt's last remaining legacies in Fodlan. Having you as an ally means more to me than you know. And it would mean a lot to him, too." Byleth said.

"As for joining us, after we take the Alliance, then we must turn our attention to the Kingdom, and the Knights of Seiros who are taking refuge there. There will be more battles to come, a lot more." Byleth said. Leonie nodded.

"What are you getting at?" She asked.

"When we march on Derdriu, we take the fight to Claude and likely many other former Golden Deer students." Byleth said. Leonie swallowed hard, her face paling.

"I… I see." She said.

"You don't need to join this fight Leonie. We're sending injured Imperial soldiers back to Garreg Mach to recover. You can go with them, wait for us to come back, then join the fight when we march upon the Kingdom. Edelgard will have no problem with that, and neither do I." Byleth said. Leonie folded her arms, her face still a mix of concern and sadness.

"I… I might do just that. As a mercenary, you can't let your feelings get involved, but-"

"But they're your friends. Jeralt wouldn't look down on you for this, Leonie. It doesn't have to be your fight." Byleth said. After more silent deliberation, Leonie nodded.

"Alright, Byleth. I'll take you up on that offer," she said, then smiled fondly. "Garreg Mach Monastery… It's been five long years…" she said wistfully. Byleth gave an awkward smile.

"It's looking a bit worse for wear, but it's the same old place." Byleth said. Leonie laughed slightly, and the two began to reminisce about their days there. The practice sessions between them, or with Jeralt, the pranks Claude used to enjoy pulling on his classmates, and many others.

Eventually, Byleth stood up, preparing to leave.

"I've got to meet with Edelgard, let her know the situation. She'll make the arrangements from there." Byleth said. Leonie stood up alongside him.

"Of course. I'll do whatever they need me to do." Leonie said.

"I don't know if I'll see you again before you head back there." Byleth said.

"Then good luck in the coming battle, Byleth." Leonie said. As Byleth turned to leave, Leonie called his name. Byleth turned back to look at her.

"Byleth," she said again. "If you can, then please, don't kill the other students. My friends… I know that if you talk to them, you might be able to get them to stand down. Or even if you just defeat them and disarm them… Just find a way to spare them. I want to see them all again when this war is done." Leonie said. Byleth swallowed hard, then nodded.

"Of course, Leonie. I'll do whatever I can." He said. Leonie nodded once, then turned to sit back on the bed, finally moving to eat the breakfast that was now completely cold. Byleth's gaze lingered on her for a moment before he left, heading toward Edelgard's tent.

* * *

Byleth approached the Emperor's tent, holding a freshly boiled kettle filled with Bergamot tea. The two guards at the entrance saw him approaching and saluted, then opened the tent for him to enter. As she always seemed to be, Edelgard was at the small table she had set up, reading through what seemed to be an endless tide of reports.

"Hubert, I told you, I can only read and respond to so many letters at on- Oh! Professor. Forgive me, I thought Hubert was coming to hound me about the letters that came in this morning." Edelgard said, leaning on the table and reading her head in one hand, still holding the letter in the other. Byleth moved to the back of the tent, where a table had been set up with various cups, plates and cutlery. Edelgard was often so busy when out in the field like this, going over documents or attending to important guests, it was habit for her to eat in her tent, or prepare snacks and tea for the visitors. He placed the kettle on the table.

"Would you like some tea?" Byleth asked. Edelgard placed the letter down, letting out an appreciative sigh.

"That sounds wonderful. Thank you, My Teacher." She said.

"So what's the importance of the reports?" Byleth asked, setting up two cups. Edelgard leaned back in her chair and crossed her hands over her lap.

"Word has spread quickly about our victory, and it doesn't take a military genius to realise where we'll be striking next. The letters are a mix of already Empire-sworn Nobles congratulating us on the victory, whilst also making sure to remind me of how they "always supported our cause", or Nobles who hadn't declared before now also swearing themselves to the Empire." Edelgard said. Byleth had finished pouring the two cups, and added a single helping of sugar to Edelgard's, as she liked it.

"Sounds tiring." Byleth agreed. "But a good thing, no? The more who swear to our cause, the less fighting there'll be." Byleth said.

"Of course, but these letters are always _filled_ with subtle, and often not so subtle, requests and demands. They're already trying to curry favour and secure their positions after I've taken over. It's no secret that I plan to dispose of the nobility, after all. I would say not even a third of them have sided with us because they agree with the cause, they just think they can maneuver around me well enough to stay in power. That, or they fear for their lives." Edelgard sighed. Byleth brought the cup over to her, earning him a grateful smile as she took it and took a sip.

"Ah, Bergamot. You remembered." Edelgard said, smiling fondly. Byleth almost pointed out that, by his time frame, they last shared tea only a couple of months back, so him forgetting was very unlikely… But decided not to share that information.

"Whatever their reasons, the less resistance we meet on the way to Derdriu, the better." Byleth said as he opened up a metal tin on the table to find some sweet snacks. He put a few on a plate and brought them over to the table as well, taking a seat opposite Edelgard.

"Agreed. I just wish I didn't have to waste time writing so many letters back." Edelgard said, taking a bite out of one of the small cakes.

"Don't want to delegate it?" Byleth asked.

"No, it wouldn't be proper. Wherever they would find out or not, Nobles respond best when they feel important. A personal reply from the Emperor herself will keep them content and out of our hair, for now. It's a small price to pay for that." Edelgard said. Byleth nodded, and watched her silently as she finished off the cake and slowly drank her tea. His mind wandered back to a talk they'd had, not long before he'd disappeared, where Edelgard had surprised him by openly admitting how she longed for a day of doing nothing but idling around and gorging on sweets. He had promised her that one day, they'd do just that.

"I suppose our day of idling and gorging ourselves is quite the way off yet." Byleth said. Edelgard looked up at him, her eyebrows raised.

"Ha… You remember such a thing?" Edelgard asked, giving him a small smile. He nodded.

"After we've taken the Alliance into the Empire, what's the plan moving forward?" Byleth asked. Edelgard placed the cup down, her brows now knitting together.

"We'll return to Garreg Mach and regroup. We'll eventually have to march on the Kingdom, of course, but it won't be right away. Soldiers need time to rest, to heal. We need to replenish our supplies by bringing them in from the imperial territories, as well as requisitioning supplies from Alliance lands. I imagine the campaign into the Kingdom will be longer than it will be here, and we'll need to be well stocked." Edelgard said. Byleth smiled, hoping for an answer along these lines.

"Then when we get back to Garreg Mach, we should celebrate." Byleth said.

"Celebrate?" Edelgard asked, reaching for another cake.

"Battle is exhausting. Back when I was a mercenary, whenever we'd finished a particularly long and grueling mission, father would always make sure that the entire band would get to celebrate and blow off steam. I didn't really understand it at the time, but he said celebrating your victories is as important as earning them. Keeps morale up for the next battle, and reminds your men what you're fighting for." Byleth said. Edelgard seemed to ponder this for some time, ideally snacking on the cake as she did.

"Mhm… I hadn't considered it myself but, yes… I think you have a point there. The soldiers, and our friends in the Strike Force, deserve to celebrate when we return. We'll have plenty of time for it, too. We likely won't be marching on the Kingdom for a few months when we're done here." Edelgard said, her smile widening as she clearly warmed up to the idea.

"You could finally get a day off, too." Byleth said, giving her a sympathetic smile. Edelgard chuckled at that.

"Ha, the very thought alone may cause Hubert to stop the entire thing from happening." Edelgard said.

"The Empire can survive a day without you ruling it." Byleth said.

"I've thought the same, many times. But you'd be forgiven for believing otherwise if you saw the number of affairs that required my attention on a daily basis." Edelgard said, giving him a weary smile.

Silence fell between them after that, as they finished their teas and Edelgard went back to work. In that silence, thoughts that Byleth had pushed away since they started marching into battle came back.

_Tell her… Tell her what she means to you. Tell her how much you dreamt of her in that endless sleep._

Byleth continued to watch her write, her delicate features narrowed with concentration. Why did he hesitate so much? He cared about all of his students, but why was it different for her?

Why did he feel like, if he told her, something between them would irrevocably change. Was this feeling a close friendship? A bond like family? Admiration, or a strong desire to protect her?

Was it love?

As the thought came to him, it seemed to do so with the force of a hammer to the head. A stray thought from running down a list of emotions and feelings he knew of, but this one was an alien concept to him. He'd never loved another person, at least not in the romantic sense. He had no idea what it felt like, or what it meant. His mind went back to the talk with his father as he stood next to his mother's grave, as he talked about how deeply he'd loved her.

"_She was gentle and smart. So smart. A wonderful cook. And always so kind to everyone."_

"_I can't count how many times she made me happy just by smiling."_

Byleth's mind was still in a whirl, he'd forgotten he was staring straight at Edelgard. The Emperor looked up from her letter at him and gave him a beautiful smile.

"What's wrong, My Teacher?" She asked. Byleth swallowed, hard, grasping for words.

"_I hope you give this ring to someone you love as well as I love her."_

Edelgard's smiles made him happy. Her happiness made him happy. Being by her side, no matter what, made him happy. A different sort of happy to spending time with the others… A feeling that could only be…

"Love…" Byleth said out loud. Edelgard's smile vanished, replaced with a shocked expression.

"I… Wha…" Edelgard began. Byleth's mouth fell open as he realised what had just happened.

"Er…love… I, um, love Bergamot tea. Don't you? I was just, er… Thinking about how much I love it." Byleth said, speaking quickly. Edelgard looked at him quizcally.

"Tea? Bergamot tea…? I mean, it _is_ a wonderful blend but… You're awfully flustered, My Teacher." Edelgard said.

"Ha, I guess, that's just how much I love it…" Byleth said weakly. Edelgard stared at him incredulously, before eventually returning to her reports. Byleth was relieved, as his mind was completely awhirl.

The more he thought about it, the more it made sense to him, he had to admit. The fact he'd not only refused to harm her, but completely defected from the church to be with her. How much happiness her smiles brought him, how the thought of getting back to her was what finally ripped him from his near endless sleep. How he had wanted to hold her so close to him as they returned from the village, to hold her close and never let go.

He knew that his time at the Monastery was allowing him to feel emotions more keenly than ever but, he hadn't quite expected… this.

"_I can't tell her now. Not before the battle. It would only complicate things, and we need to be more focused than ever. I can't risk something damaging our communication."_ Byleth thought to himself.

"_After… When we get back to Garreg Mach. I'll tell her."_

He thought once again of Jeralt, of how much he'd wanted to say to him before he died, and how he'd never get the chance now. He couldn't let that happen again. For better or for worse, he'd tell her everything.

* * *

Byleth stood beside Edelgard and the rest of the Black Eagle Strike Force, staring at the city of Derdriu in the distance. The week past had been busy, with no end of work that needed to be done. With the last of the prisoners sent back, the Imperial Army resumed its march through Alliance territory two days after Byleth's talk with Leonie. Arrangements had been made, and Leonie was sent back to Garreg Mach with the injured soldiers.

Their march through Alliance lands had been met with no resistance, and in a few short days they have arrived at Derdriu. Edelgard had made the objective clear; do not damage the city, they were here to kill Claude, therefore removing the only unifying factor within the Alliance, allowing the Empire to absorb the various territories with ease afterwards. They knew Claude wasn't going to go down without a fight, but no one had expected to arrive at the city and find that the drawbridge was lowered, almost inviting them in.

"It has to be a trap." Ferdinand said, looking back at the group. Hubert grunted in agreement.

"Almost certainly. But we don't have the means to lay down a particularly long siege and starve them out. Nor would Her Majesty allow it." Hubert said.

"Indeed. In sieges it is the common folk who go hungry first. We are here to kill Claude and absorb the Alliance peacefully back into the Empire. Not kill the citizens of the city." Edelgard said. Byleth's eyes roamed the area in front of them. He noticed that, directly east of the city, there seemed to be large open fields that led down to a distant beach. There wasn't any sort of proper docks there, but still…

"Edelgard. I think I have an idea what he's planning…" Byleth said.

* * *

Claude leaned back comfortably in the saddle of his wyvern, ideally twirling an arrow in his hand.

"I leave the door open for them and everything, and they're just sitting out there! You'd think they don't trust me to fight fair." Claude said, feigning hurt. Hilda put her hands on her hips, scowling.

"Whilst I'm a big advocate for not taking things too seriously, the Imperial army are right outside our door. Shouldn't you be more… I don't know. Commanding and tense?!" Hilda asked. Claude sat up a little, casting an eye over the city.

"We've done all we can. Now we just wait." Claude said. Hilda sighed in frustration.

"And you're REALLY confident that Nader is gonna come through for us?" She asked. Claude shrugged.

"If he doesn't, I don't fancy our chances here. So let's go with "yes."" Claude said, giving Hilda a wink.

"If we survive this, you're getting an earful." Hilda said, turning to leave for her post.

"Hilda!" Claude called out. Hilda turned around to look at him.

"If things take a turn out there… No heroics, alright? If things look bad, run, or surrender. No fighting to the death." Claude said. Hilda's posture relaxed, and she gave him a small smile.

"Ha, you think you need to warn _me_ of that?" Hilda said, her smile slightly shaky now.

"Guess you gotta point." Claude said, shrugging. The two regarded each other quietly for a moment, before Claude sat up straight on the saddle.

"Good luck out there, Hilda. Stay safe." A pause. "Please."

"And to you, Claude." She said, turning to leave. Almost as soon as she was out of sight, the blaring sound of a horn came from the entrance.

"Here she comes, at long last." Claude sighed. He pulled on his wyvern's reigns and took to the air, getting a good view of the battlefield.

"Let the cards fall where they may. It'll be a true test of strength."

Claude drew an arrow from his quiver, the head wrapped in cloth and drenched with flammable liquid. As he saw the bulk of the imperial force pushing over the drawbridge, he set the arrow aflame and fired it high into the air. The signal was sent.

Now the battle would truly begin.


	6. Derdriu

_Authour's note:_

_This one took longer than I expected. IRL has me really busy, so for the foreseeable future, weekly updates seems to be the most likely. Or maybe my eagerness to write the content in the chapters to come will spur me on._

_Anyway, thank you once again for all the follows, favourites and reviews. I do love reading them. Please enjoy the chapter_

* * *

Edelgard charged across the lowered drawbridge, alongside Caspar and the knights of the vanguard. If her Professor was correct, this was exactly what Claude wanted them to do, but the mere laying of a trap was not enough to guarantee its success. If what you intend to ensnare is mighty enough, it will simply crash through without hesitation.

Edelgard intended to prove that point. Waiting for them at the entrance was a division of armoured knights, their shields locked together to form a wall of steel, spears poking through them. A tactic they'd met time and time again, and one they always had an answer for. Not slowing their charge, Edelgard gestured to the royal guards to her right and left, two absolute behemoths of men who were at her side in every battle, even guarding her tent when on the march. The two men now raised their distinctive spears in unison, tips facing the sky, then brought them swiftly down. Seeing the signal, the cadre of Adrestian sorcerers positioned behind them finished weaving their spell, and brought a crash of lighting down on the shield wall. The knights were thrown off their feet from the sheer force of the spell, some dying instantly from being struck by the lightning, others simply being tossed aside.

"Now, Caspar!" Edelgard yelled. It was an order she never had to give, but did so for appearances sake, as Caspar and his squad were already rushing through the broken lines, their hammers swinging and battering aside the knights who were desperately trying to close the gaps in their lines. Edelgard raised Aymr, signalling her own troops to come to a halt. The path ahead was narrow, pushing them forward now would simply clog the battlefield. It was best to wait until Caspar and his unit we-

Cries rang through the air as the battlefield was pelted with spikes of dark magic. Stone was torn from the ground as the rain of black magic pelted the ground, manipulated with such skill that each spike avoided the Alliance soldiers still trying to recover. Edelgard gritted her teeth as she saw a bolt barely avoid hitting Caspar himself, before he was sent flying into a wall from the explosive impact. All around him, his troops were meeting similar fates, being slain by the magic or tossed by its explosive impact. By the time the rain of magic had dissipated, there was so much dust in the air that the path ahead was completely obscured.

_Good._ She thought.

"Do not hesitate! Break through their lines and stick close to the Alliance soldiers, their mages will not risk hitting their own troops!" With that order, Edelgard and her soldiers charged through. Retrieving their wounded could come after, there was no telling when the bombardment would happen again.

Edelgard raised her shield as they entered the obscuring cloud. She met resistance within seconds, bashing against an Alliance soldier who was still trying to find his feet. With one quick swing, Aymr ended the soldier's life, and moved on to the next. Turning to her loyal guard, ever by her side, she barked an order.

"Magnus! Alberich! We're going to push forward and find the spellcasters! Come!" She yelled.

"Your Majesty!" They yelled in unison, following their Emperor as she charged through the lines, the rest of her guard spreading out and finding foes to fight. The three of them cut down all who crossed their paths as they rushed forward, their lives quickly ended by axe or spear. As Edelgard removed the head of an elderly looking soldier who had charged her, she looked up, to see the spikes were starting to materialise once more in the sky.

"Damn it all… No room for caution! Forward, now!" She yelled. The trio raced forward, not even stopping to attack those who tried to block them. The three of them raised their shields, and between the sheer size and strength of Magnus and Alberich, combined with Edelgard's own significant crest enhanced abilities, they simply barged through anyone in their way, smashing them aside. Finally, they broke through the cloud. Edelgard raised her weapon, ready to begin the assault on the cadre of mages…

Only to find a small, white haired girl standing there, her hands weaving together, face scrunched in concentration. Around her was a small group of soldiers, but no other mages.

"Lysithea?" Edelgard called out. The girl focused on her immediately, eyes widening.

"E… Edelgard…" Lysithea choked. The soldiers at her side immediately charged.

"It's the Emperor! Quickly, kill her now and this war wi-" The soldier leading the charge didn't get a chance to finish, as Magnus launched his spear with frightening strength, piercing the man's chest. Drawing a blade from his side, the honour guard charged at the soldiers. Edelgard, however, was fully focused on the girl before her.

"I had heard you lead from the front. I… I had guessed we would meet today." She said sadly. She raised her hands once again, quickly weaving a spell. Edelgard swallowed, hard. This was no longer the girl she had come to care for like a little sister. The girl who understood her pain, the pain of the surgery, the agony that was having two crests inside you. The girl who she had treated to sugary snacks time and time again.

She was now an enemy.

Edelgard rushed forward, straight at her former friend. Lysithea finished weaving the spell, sending a black spike of enormous size straight at her. Edelgard didn't falter, she dropped her shield, gripped Aymr in both hands and put her full momentum into the swing. Her twitching, glowing axe carved through the spike, dissipating it into the air, but not before the impact of it had felt like she struck a solid stone wall with all her might. Gritting her teeth through the reverberating pain in her arms, Edelgard quickly closed the distance between them. Lysithea quickly tried to weave another spell, but she could tell it was too late. Edelgard raised up Aymr once more, seconds away from her target now. Lysithea froze in fear, her eyes closing tight as she waited for the final blow from her axe.

A blow that never came. Moments before she brought her axe down, a flurry of thoughts assaulted her. Her discussion with the Professor, about how he handled Leonie. He had spared her on the battlefield, and she had joined them. Despite what Edelgard had convinced herself was necessary, her Professor had proved her wrong. These once friends turned enemies, could once again become allies at their side. All she had to do was reach out her hand.

Edelgard dropped Aymr and tackled Lysithea to the ground. She spared a quick glance around her, Magnus and Alberich had made short work of the soldiers guarding Lysithea, and those who could still stand from Caspar's squad, including the man himself, along with her own guard, were now pushing out of the cloud themselves, rushing ahead to meet the second line of defence that waited further in. Edelgard looked back down at Lysithea, who was staring up at her in shock.

"If… If you're going to kill me… Just do it quick. Please." Lysithea said, her face one of utter defeat.

"Fair warning though, Edelgard. I may come back to haunt you." Lysithea said, a ghost of a smile on her lips. Edelgard eased her weight off of the girl's slender frame, moving to now kneel beside her. Lysithea inhaled sharply, looking at her in shock.

"I have no intention of killing you, Lysithea." Edelgard said, grabbing Aymr and standing to her full height. Lysithea continued to stare at her, eyes wide.

"W-why?" Was all she could say.

"Because I want you as an ally, Lysithea. The moments we had together back at the academy are still precious to me. And you, more than most, _must_ understand why I am doing this. Why I simply must rid this world of the influence of the Crests." Edelgard said. Lysithea stared at her in silence, visibly shaking. Edelgard leaned down, reaching out her hand.

"Lend me your strength, Lysithea. There's so much we could do together." Edelgard said. Lysithea simply stared at her hand, and for a terrible moment Edelgard thought she would slap it aside, spit at her, claim she would never side with a monster such as he-

"The Alliance is finished, no matter what. And… I don't want to die here. Not when I have so much left I can do." Lysithea reached for Edelgard's hand, clasping it tight, and let Edelgard pull her to her feet.

"Claude… He can't win here. Even he must know that. I don't want to die for a lost cause… So all that's left for me to do is place my faith in you, Edelgard." Lysithea said. Edelgard smiled softly at her.

"Good girl." Edelgard said with utter affection. Lysithea immediately bristled.

"It's been five years! You can't call me that anymore!" Lysithea snapped. Edelgard motioned to Magnus and Alberich, who hadn't charged ahead with the others.

"Magnus, escort Lysithea off the battlefield, please." Edelgard said. Magnus nodded. Edelgard turned back to the girl.

"I won't make you fight your former allies. You can lend your strength to the battles that come after. You might also want to know that Leonie is waiting for us back at the Monastery. She has agreed to fight for the Professor." Edelgard said.

"L-Leonie is alive? And Professor Byleth is too?!" Lysithea gasped as she glanced around.

"Then… Where is he?" She asked. Edelgard went to answer, but the sight before her interrupted all train of thought. Looking off from the drawbridge, at the sea, the sight of three, huge galleons pulling into the docks could be seen. One of them anchoring at the beach outside of the dock.

"So… The Professor was right… They did intend to flank us." Edelgard muttered. Yes, they had expected reinforcements… But as Edelgard saw the wyvern riders flying over the deck, and the trademark armour of the Almyran soldiers, she realised that they'd completely underestimated the nature of the trap Claude had laid.

"Ugh… Claude, you actually did it…" Edelgard spat. Lysithea looked at her in an equal amount of shock.

"Edelgard, I didn't-" She began.

"Don't worry, Lysithea. Get off the battlefield. Now. We prepared for something like this happening, the rest is in the Professor's hands now." Edelgard said. Lysithea nodded as she began to leave.

"Magnus!" Edelgard called. "Give the signal for the second wave to join the main assault." Edelgard said. Magnus nodded and left, as Edelgard, too, turned to rush forward to rejoin the battle.

_Professor… Hubert… You face a mighty foe. I leave it in your hands._

* * *

Byleth and Hubert stood side by side, watching as the Almyran galleons docked at the harbour.

"It seems your prediction was correct, Professor. As astute as ever." Hubert said. Byleth simply stared straight ahead, his eyes focused on the wyverns taking flight from the decks of the war ships. Before they had committed to breaching the city, Byleth had stopped Edelgard and voiced his fears that Claude may be trying to bait them inside the city walls so that his forces could land at the beach just outside the city, then move to flank them. Edelgard quickly came to agree with this statement, and sent himself, Hubert and Bernadetta, along with their own squadrons, to be ready for the foe. Looking at what was before them now, it was the right move.

"That they would try to flank us from the beach, yes… But you say this is the Almyran army?" Byleth asked. Hubert nodded, his lips pulled back in a sneer.

"Long time enemies of the Alliance. They've been trying to invade Fodlan through Alliance territory for generations. There's a lot of blood spilt between both nations, and a lot of hatred on both sides, too. How Claude managed to get them on his side... Tch, Master Tactician indeed." Hubert spat.

"Do we proceed as planned, Professor?" Hubert asked. Byleth nodded.

"The Almyrans are an unexpected factor. But we can handle them. Have your mages aim for the wyverns, Hubert." Byleth began, raising one arm. Looking behind him, he locked eyes with Bernadetta, who had huddled herself into the large crowd of soldiers, sorcerers and archers behind them.

"Bernadetta, you lead. On my mark." Byleth said. Bernadetta nodded, raising her bow and knocking an arrow. The archers around her followed suit. Byleth glanced at Hubert, and nodded. Hubert raised his hands and began to weave a spell, the action mirrored by the cadre of sorcerers behind them. As they prepared, the Galleon closest to the beach had dropped anchor, and was now dropping a large gangplank onto the shore. Moments after it slammed into the sand, tall, heavy set warriors wielding axes and rough leathers were charging down, battle cries in their throats, quickly followed by the wyvern riders. Byleth waited… Closer… Closer… They were running up the hill now, straight towards them. In perfect range. Byleth brought his hand down in one quick motion.

"_Now!"_ He cried. In an instant, Hubert and his mages were sending bolts of flames high into the sky, straight into the first line of wyvern riders. At the same time, Bernadetta and her archers rained arrows down upon the Almyran vanguard. Wyverns and their riders alike were struck by the onslaught of flames. Riders fell from their saddles, screaming as their flesh burned, just as the beasts they rode collapsed from the sky, the impact of the bolts of flame breaking necks and shattering skulls. The foot soldiers fared no better, with no shields and little in the way of armour, the arrows riddled their bodies. A select unlucky few were instead crushed by the plummeting bodies of dead wyverns, or even their own allies. Byleth raised the Sword of the Creator high. Now it was his turn.

"With me! Crash through their shattered lines and board their ships! For Her Majesty!" Byleth cried. The foot soldiers raised their blades in tandem, and followed his charge down the hill. The Galleons seemed to have docked close to each other to allow for their own soldiers to cross from ship to ship and make it to the beach. They would take advantage of that themselves. Even now, a second wave of Almyran soldiers was charging down the gangplank to meet them. Byleth focused intensely, feeling the blade in his hands extend, becoming more like a whip. He wouldn't fail her. Not at this critical juncture. There wasn't anything he wouldn't do to see her dream for Fodlan become a reality.

Even if it meant, he, too, must walk the bloody path.

With a swing of his arm, the Sword of the Creator surged forward, straight into the enemy line. Limbs, viscera, heads and innards began to fill the air.

* * *

Edelgard panted heavily as she deflected a blow from an enemy blade. She tried to bring Aymr up to meet the next swing, but the soldier deftly pulled back from his next swing and tried to stab at her instead. The tip of his blade pierced Edelgard's padded coat, hitting the mail underneath, but went no further. Edelgard quickly grabbed the blade in her left hand, hands tightening over the metal to prevent the man from pulling it back. Panic immediately set in on the soldier, who instead of simply letting go, desperately tried to retrieve his blade. Edelgard quickly swung Aymr with her free hand, removing his head.

She took advantage of the moment of respite to observe the battlefield. They had pushed into the main plaza of the docks now, and Ferdinand, Petra and Caspar were already moving to secure the entrances to the city proper and cut off the flow of reinforcements. The fact that they hadn't been flanked from behind by Almyran troops yet also boded well for the Professor's and Hubert's side of things.

_Now, all we have to do is secure the plaza and then move to secure the rest of the docks._ She thought. She hoisted Aymr once more and rushed forward, moving to come up beside Alberich, who was holding off three soldiers alone. The fighting in the Plaza was fierce, to say the least. Although Edelgard favoured their chances, it was far from a sure thing yet. If Claude's plan to flank them had worked, then Edelgard had no doubt that they would've fallen here, or at least claimed victory at far too high a price.

Edelgard and her honour guard finished dispatching the three soldiers, and the Emperor looked around for her next target. She spotted her immediately, striking down a more heavily armoured soldier of the Empire with ease. Even here, on the battlefield, the daughter of Goneril made herself hard to miss.

Wielding a Relic Weapon, an axe not unlike her own, and with long, vibrant pink hair, Hilda Goneril was leading the last line of defence in the Plaza. A foe with a relic weapon and a Crest at that was going to be formidable. A foe she would deal with herself.

Edelgard rushed forward to close the distance between her and her target, striking down an Alliance soldier who tried to stop her without breaking her pace. Hilda had just finished dispatching another soldier herself as she turned to see the Emperor charging her. Her eyes widened for a moment, before she readied her axe, swinging it up in time to meet Edelgard's own powerful strike.

"Hilda Goneril. The Alliance is finished. Lay down your arms, and command your troops to do the same, and you will be spared. Leonie and Lysithea have already joined our cause. There is no reason you, and the forces of the Alliance, can't too." Edelgard said, keeping Aymr raised and ready to defend her even as she talked. Hilda eyed her steadily, a grim smile on her face.

"And what of Claude? Will he get to live and join you?" Hilda asked. Edelgard remained silent, but her cold features were all that Hilda needed, it seemed. Hilda sighed, then shrugged.

"A tempting offer, Edelgard. But I have no intention of abandoning my dear old Claude to death simply to save myself." Hilda said, raising her axe once more.

"A pity. Your brother is a famed general, well deserving of his rank and status. He would've served well in the Fodlan I would create. I fear any future friendship I might have had with him will be soured by the fact that I am the one who killed his sister." Edelgard sighed. Hilda gave a short laugh.

"Ha… I really never understood you, Edelgard. What a thing to say…" She said, and charged forward. Edelgard rushed her in turn, swinging Aymr to meet Hilda's axe, the two blades clashing. They pulled back immediately, taking swing after swing at each other, dodging, parrying, meeting head on then breaking apart. Edelgard had always found wielding an axe against another axe wielder an inelegant affair. Even between two experienced wielders like herself and Hilda, the size and shape of their weapons made these duels far slower than clashing with swords or spears.

Hilda rushed forward again, her arms moving as if she meant to strike from the side. Edelgard moved Aymr, ready to parry, but managed to see the feint moments before it was performed.

_This is my chance!_

Hilda moved to quickly bring the axe up, from a sideways slice to an upwards arc. Edelgard copied this motion, not aiming for Hilda with her axe, but Hilda's own weapon. Edelgard swung Aymr up, hitting the blade of Hilda's axe so hard it forced the woman's arms to be pushed up, completely exposing her torso. Freeing one hand from Aymr, Edelgard pushed forward, delivering a swift, hard punch to Hilda's stomach, putting every last ounce of her crest enhanced strength behind it.

Hilda fell back, her weapon dropped, falling onto her backside. Her breaths came in gasps, the punch having winded her, as her arms wrapped around her stomach. Edelgard panted heavily herself, standing over Hilda, Aymr raised high.

"It's over, Hilda Goneril. Surrender." Edelgard said. Hilda looked up at her, tears stinging her eyes from the pain.

"Not… Over… I won't… Let you… Kill him…" She wheezed as she tried to drag herself away from Edelgard.

"Fine. If you will not surrender willingly, we'll simply take you into custody." Edelgard sighed. Hilda glared at her, each breath still clearly paining her.

"Spare… Him… Please…" Hilda begged, glaring at her now.

"I cannot. So long as Claude lives, there will be factions in the Alliance who will rally behind him. To avoid the bloodshed that would follow in putting down these rebellions… Claude must be removed." Edelgard said. Hilda said nothing initially, still gasping for breaths. As Edelgard approached her, meaning to bind her, Hilda called out.

"Then… I won't… _surrender!" _Hilda cried. She lunged to her right, grabbing a sword from a fallen Alliance soldier, and took a wild swing at Edelgard. On pure instinct, Edelgard deflected it with Aymr, locked eyes with the woman on the ground, and brought her axe crashing down.

* * *

_Ten minutes earlier_

Byleth grabbed the haft of the incoming axe with his free hand, stopping it dead in the air. Before the Almyran warrior could react, he thrust his blade through the man's chest, then delivered a powerful kick. The warrior stumbled back, dropping his weapon and clutching at his chest, before tumbling overboard. Byleth and his squadron had crossed the gangplank from the first Galleon and onto the second, and were now working their way to the third. Byleth stepped back from the front, allowing his soldiers to move in and push toward forward as he surveyed the situation.

If they made it to the third Galleon and captured it, they'd have an easy entry point to the far end of the docks, where he suspected Claude awaited them. Byleth heard a rush of footsteps behind him, and turned around to see Hubert, Bernadetta, and another group of soldiers crossing over onto the Galleon. Hubert locked eyes with him and approached.

"I was expecting more resistance, but I suppose this force was meant to flank us, not meet us head on," Hubert sneered. "So what's the next move, Professor?"

"Move onto the next Galleon, then descend into the docks. We face Claude there, either with what we have now, or by rejoining with Edelgard's forces as they converge there too." Byleth said. He looked from Hubert, back to where the soldiers were now clashing over the bridge connecting to the next ship. Wyvern riders still swooped overhead, desperately trying to dodge arrows and fireballs being launched from the shore. One Wyvern rider, though, hadn't moved from the deck of the last galleon. The man was far larger than the average warrior they had faced, as was his wyvern.

"Of course, we'll need to finish him off first. I suspect he's their leader." Byleth said, pointing at the man. Hubert nodded.

"This is Nader, a famed Almyran general. If there was any ever doubt that these weren't Almyran soldiers, consider them quashed." Hubert said.

"If we can make it past him, we can make it to Claude. Let's go." Byleth said, moving to join the battle. Byleth barked an order to his soldiers to clear the way. Knowing what was to come, the Empire soldiers pulled back off the gangplank immediately, just moments before Byleth unleashed the Sword of the Creator. The whip like blade swung in a wide arc, killing or mortally wounding the mass of Almyran soldiers that were holding the line.

"Push through!" Byleth yelled, taking advantage of the gap created to push onto the deck of the final Galleon. He'd barely taken three steps onto the deck before the general that Hubert had called "Nader" kicked into action, flanked by even more soldiers. He whipped the reigns of his humongous wyvern, causing it to shoot forward at terrifying speeds, straight at Byleth and the approaching soldiers. On pure instinct, Byleth dropped low, as did many of those around him. Those who did not took the full brunt of the wyverns charge, being knocked aside and off the deck, into the waters below.

"Ha! For pampered little Empire dogs, you're sure putting up a fight!" Nader yelled as he pulled his wyvern around for another sweep. Byleth grunted and stood up, turning to meet the assault of Nader's personal guard.

"The kid should've just called us in sooner, we could've marched on Adrestia a-" He began, interrupting himself with a loud yelp as a fireball whizzed past his head. Hubert was already weaving the next spell as he spoke.

"Professor! Leave this fool to us! Break through the last of their lines and find Claude!" Hubert shouted, launching another spell. Bernadetta moved up beside him, knocking an arrow into her bow.

"We can handle this, Professor!" She agreed, loosing the arrow into the sky. Byleth dispatched the enemy in front of him, cast a glance back at his students, then nodded. Byleth looked at the soldiers around him, some of his most trusted fighters from his own personal squadron, many of them being mercenaries from his old band that had stayed to fight for Edelgard after his disappearance, and tightened his grip on his blade.

"You heard Hubert! Soldiers, with me!" Byleth swung the Sword of the Creator in a wide arc, clearing a path in the current throng of Almyran warriors, and rushed through, followed quickly by the squadron.

Byleth and his group made short work of any remaining Almyrans who came to meet them, rushing to the edge of the deck and leaping off onto the docks below. Or that was the plan. They hadn't even landed before the first arrow hit, piercing through the neck of one of the soldiers. By the time they hit the ground, another arrow found its mark, hitting a soldier in the eye. Byleth quickly brought his blade up. Five Alliance soldiers in front of them, quickly closing the distance… And up above them…

Byleth stabbed the Sword of the Creator into the air. The blade shot forward toward the wyvern above them, slashing one of its wings. The wyvern screeched and began to tumble to the ground, along with the archer that was riding it. Moments before the wyvern hit the floor, Claude lept from its saddle, landing in a roll and bringing the relic bow up. The wyvern skidded along the ground, leaving a trail of blood behind it, crashing into several of the Alliance soldiers engaged with Byleth's own.

"Teach. So the reports were true. You're alive." Claude said, knocking an arrow and aiming it at him.

"I am." Byleth said, bringing his sword up ready to deflect any arrows.

"Where've you been, Teach? I know that if you were around, you would've been supporting Edelgard in the war. But by all accounts you died in the siege of Garreg Mach. Now you turn up, five years later, looking like you haven't aged a day." Claude said, giving him a thin smile. Even on the battlefield, his curiosity was getting the better of him, Byleth thought.

"I was sleeping." Byleth said. Claude let out a quick laugh.

"Ha! Fine, fine, don't tell me. So, Teach, you're here for my head, right?" Claude asked. Byleth nodded.

"Because without me, the Alliance simply won't hold together. As ruthless and pragmatic as ever, that Emperor of yours." Claude sighed. Byleth tightened the grip on his sword, staring hard at Claude. He'd grown quite a bit in the last five years. His carefree smile had a tinge of sadness to it, and his eyes, those eyes that his smiles never reached, seemed to have a deep regret in them.

"To the death, then. Just promise me one thing, Teach. If I fall here… Go easy on the Alliance… And the former Golden Deer students. The Alliance will fall in line if I go down, and I've given the others strict orders to join you if something happens to me." Claude said. Byleth gave Claude a solemn nod.

"I promise. Those who surrender will be shown mercy." Byleth said. Claude eyed him seriously for a moment, the smile gone. Finally, he nodded.

"Good… Then I guess we can kill each other without any worries." Claude said. He immediately loosed the arrow he had knocked, giving Byleth barely enough time to react. Pivoting his head aside, he felt the arrow graze his cheek as it whizzed by. Byleth rushed forward, sword raised, but Claude was delivering a flurry of arrows whilst moving backwards, keeping the distance between them. He parried one, ducked under another, before he felt one lodge itself in his thigh. He grunted in pain, before feeling another hitting his left arm. Jumping aside from another arrow, Byleth swung the Sword of the Creator, willing it to extend, and whipped it at Claude, trying to end the battle quickly. Claude leapt high, jumping over the first swing, then ducked low on the second, losing a few strands of hair as it narrowly missed him. He fired another arrow, this one lodging itself in Byleth's hip.

Byleth retracted the blade, panting, and studied Claude, who had stopped loosing arrows upon him.

"Sorry, Teach, but I'll be taking the win today." Claude said, pulling another arrow and knocking it into the bow.

_Think… Think…_ Byleth's mind was awhirl. Claude was already too fast for him, that was before he was riddled with arrows. And in this wide open space, it was clear Claude could dodge any attempt to hit him with the Sword of the Creator. He would simply duck under, or jump and land on…

Byleth's eyes widened and his grip on the blade tightened. In that moment, Claude loosed an arrow, aiming for his chest. Byleth quickly deflected it, and once more swept the Sword of the Creator at Claude's feet. Claude, as he expected, jumped high over it, dodging deftly, but Byleth was already aiming for his next target before the man had taken off from the ground. Feeling the strength of the Crest of Flames surging within him, Byleth whipped the Sword of the Creator down into the ground with all his might. The blade slammed into the stone tiles, shattering the ground for meters around, sending chunks of rock and dirt flying.

"Wha-!" Claude began, too late to realise what had happened. As Claude landed, his feet hit the debris and tumbling rocks, not the smooth stone floor. He made a desperate attempt to steady himself, tumbling backwards before the stones gave out underneath him. Claude fell backwards, landing hard on his back and bashing the back of his head against a rock. Before he could even make an attempt to get up, Byleth was on top of him. He wrestled the relic bow from his hands, tossing it aside, then held his blade to Claude's throat. Claude looked up at him, his vision clearly blurry from the blow to the head. After a moment, he let out a strained cough, then laughed.

"Ha… You got me… My tactics were never anything compared to yours, were they? To think what we could've been if you'd joined the Golden Deer all those years ago…" Claude said wistfully. Byleth wasn't listening as he spoke, he was trying to prepare himself for what he knew he had to do.

The voice of Edelgard came back to him from the strategy meeting the night before

"_Claude simply cannot be allowed to live. Even as a prisoner, there are factions in the Alliance who would rally behind him. By trying to save a life, it would cause future conflicts that would cost so many more."_

"You know, though, Teach… Have you thought about why I was able to call in Almyran reinforcements? Leaving me alive… It could be of great benefit to your Emperor. Having a favour like that to call in, well..." Claude said, his voice steady, calm. Byleth met his eyes once more. He thought back to the talks they'd have over dinner back in the Monastery. How Claude would often excitedly talk to him about recent subjects of interest he'd learned from a book he'd been reading.

He thought back to when Claude had dragged him onto the dance floor, with a smile and a wink, talking about how he simply wanted to "give Edelgard some motivation", whatever he had meant by that. The political reasonings were beyond him, whatever Claude had meant by his connection to Almyra, or whatever favours he could offer Edelgard, Byleth wasn't in a position to weigh their value.

Before him was a former student, a former friend, and a person that Edelgard had made very clear needed to die for the cause.

Byleth raised his blade high into the air, preparing himself for the final blow. Claude swallowed hard, his stoic demeanour wavering only for a second.

_Claude…_

_Edelgard…_

_I hope you understand._

Byleth brought the blade down.


	7. Triumph

_Author's Note: Sorry once again for the longer upload. I think I can eventually manage to even it out to a chapter a week, but my current schedule is very busy. Even when I do get free time I'm often far too tired to write anything. But I will keep at it! I am enjoying writing this and there's many more scenes I want to write and share. Thank you all once again for the wonderful reviews. It's been fun seeing everyone's reactions to the cliffhanger on last chapter, and I saw many differing opinions on how it should play out. I simply hope that, wherever what you wanted to happen happens or not, you'll enjoy the ride!_

_As another note, I've gotten permission from a wonderful artist to use their Byleth x Edelgard art as the new cover picture for the story. Whilst it was not my commission, they still agreed to let me use it, and I recommend you all go check out their wonderful works over at their Twitter, at ayuunii_

_With that, enjoy the chapter!_

* * *

Edelgard brought her axe rushing down toward Hilda, aimed straight at her chest. Seconds before impact, Hilda rolled away, grabbing a dagger from her hip and trying to lunge at her. The Emperor parried the blow effortlessly, knocking the dagger out of the weakened combatant's hand. Edelgard resolved herself for what had to be done. The daughter of house Goneril would not let herself be taken. Edelgard raised her axe once more, just as Hilda dived for another weapon.

"EDELGARD!"

Edelgard turned to the source of the booming cry, and looked upon her Professor. Bloodied, riddled with arrows and barely standing.

"Claude is finished. The Alliance… Is finished!" Byleth decreed. Edelgard felt her breath catch in her throat, then immediately looked down at Hilda. The fight had completely gone out of the woman upon hearing the words, as it had from the last remaining Alliance soldiers. Hilda dropped the blade she had grabbed and simply let herself curl up on the floor, tears stinging her eyes. Edelgard had to steel herself. She truly, truly felt for Hilda's loss. But this was still a battlefield. Edelgard raised Aymr high and shouted out.

"Everyone! Raise your voices in a victory cheer! Derdriu is ours! Alliance soldiers, stand down and you WILL be spared!" Edelgard cried out. The sound of Alliance weapons hitting the floor was drowned out by the triumphant cheers of her soldiers. They had done it. Derdriu was theirs, and without Claude's leadership, the pro-Adrestian factions would easily be absorbed into the Empire, and in turn, even those who had backed the Kingdom, or simply wanted neutrality.

Edelgard looked around, seeing Ferdinand enter the plaza with his own personal retinue and begin taking the Alliance soldiers into custody. She was about to motion for him to come and personally escort Hilda but was stopped by the fast approach of Byleth. Seeing him up close snapped her out of her victory reverie. His wounds were many and he looked fit to collapse.

"My Teacher! Please, get yourself medical aid this instant!" Edelgard said, moving to support him. Byleth shook his head and spoke hurriedly.

"Hilda Goneril. When the commotion dies down… We take her to the back room on the fourth floor of the tallest building here on the docks." Byleth said. Edelgard looked at him in confusion. He met her eyes with his own, and there was clear pleading in them. She nodded once.

"Of course, My Teacher." Edelgard said. Byleth nodded, and finally dropped to his hands and knees, gasping for breath.

"Ferdinand!" Edelgard called, getting the noble to run over.

"Ah! Professor!" Ferdinand called out in shock.

"Ferdinand, take Hilda Goneril into custody. I'm going to get the professor to Linhardt." Edelgard said. Ferdinand nodded and moved to Hilda, who was still curled up on the ground. Edelgard leaned down next to Byleth and put one of his arms over her shoulder. Propping him up, she began leading him to the plaza entrance, where medics led by Linhardt and Dorothea were already rushing onto the scene.

"We did it, My Teacher. The Alliance is ours." Edelgard said in wonderment. Byleth let out a pained grunt.

"And… You dealt with Claude. I am sorry it had to be you that did it, My Teacher. But it was for the best." Edelgard said. Byleth made no noise now, and bowed his head. Edelgard decided it was best not to broach the subject, and continued the rest of the way in silence.

* * *

An hour later, Byleth and Edelgard were leading Hilda through the docks. The place was still rife with activity. Bodies being moved, wounded who were too unstable to transport still being treated, Alliance soldiers being escorted. Byleth looked back at the pair walking with him. Hilda kept her head down, staring at the floor. She hadn't said a word, even as they told her they were taking her somewhere specific. Edelgard, however, hadn't stopped staring at him with concern.

"My Teacher, you really should be resting. Linhardt may healed the worst of it, but healing magic isn't a miracle cure." She said.

"I need to be here for this. Rest can come after." Byleth said. Edelgard bristled slightly.

"Why won't you tell me what we are going here for?" Edelgard asked. Byleth winced.

"Please just trust me, Edelgard." Byleth said. Edelgard looked at him, clearly torn.

"For you, My Teacher, I will allow it." Edelgard sighed. The pair reached the entrance to the building now. It didn't exactly tower far above the others, but it was still large enough to stand out on a passing glance of the docks. Byleth opened the door cautiously and poked his head inside.

There wasn't a soul to be seen, as he expected. The empty desk that stood before him still had the telltale signs of recent use, and had clearly been abandoned in a hurry.

"It's clear. Let's go." Byleth said. Edelgard motioned for Hilda to go first, then followed her quickly after. When they were both in, Byleth closed the door behind them. They found the stairs in the room behind the front desk, and slowly ascended them in silence.

Byleth felt a knot in his stomach as they climbed the final set of stairs to the fourth floor. He sincerely hoped he was making the right decision doing this. They walked down the long, winding corridor, finally arriving at the appointed room.

"Here." He said. Byleth looked back at them both. Edelgard regarded Byleth with curiosity and a little bit of frustration. Even Hilda was looking up now, curiosity and worry warring on her face.

Byleth looked forward and opened the door. The room was mostly empty, save for a few stools that had been dragged in there. It was well lit from a large window pane that allowed the mid-day sun to shine through. Staring out that window was a cloaked figure, watching the ongoings in the docks below.

"You really took your time. I was honestly starting to get worried you'd told Edelgard and she was sending someone to come finish the job." The figure said, clear mirth in his voice. He turned around and pulled the hood down, giving a charming smile.

"Forgive me, Claude. But I needed to treat the injuries you gave me." Byleth said. Byleth looked behind him. Edelgard's lips were pursed tightly, though her eyes made her shock apparent. Hilda was simply staring, mouth agape.

"Claude…?" She whispered. Claude rubbed the back of his head, wincing.

"Healthy, whole and not dead, yes." Claude said. Hilda rushed forward and threw her arms around him, burying her head in his chest.

"Goddess… What were you thinking?! How could you let me think you were dead like that?" Hilda cried. Claude returned the embrace with a guilty smile, then turned to look at Edelgard. Her expression was unchanged.

"For this to work, the people need to think I'm dead. Or at the very least, just missing. If I'm still around, factions in the Alliance will still rally around my name and won't stop fighting. That's why our dear Emperor here was so insistent that I needed to die. Isn't that right, Edelgard?" Claude said.

Byleth turned once again to look at Edelgard, who was still regarding Claude with a cool expression.

"Yes. It is." Edelgard confirmed. Claude gently unwrapped Hilda from around him and walked to stand in front of the Emperor. He spread his arms wide.

"I'm unarmed and still reeling a bit too much from the trouncing Teach gave me to fight back. So here's your shot, Edelgard. Teach spared me. But you outrank him. If you want to overturn that decision, do it now." He said. Edelgard didn't move. She didn't even react. From behind him, he heard Hilda gasp lightly. Byleth watched the situation calmly. This was in Edelgard's hands now. Claude waited a few seconds, and nodded to himself.

"Or… You can hear me out. I have a proposal." Claude said. Edelgard folded her arms and tilted her head.

"Let's hear it then." She said. Claude lowered his arms and gave a small smile.

"Thank you, Edelgard. Hilda, this involves you too, so be sure to listen." He said, turning to take a seat on one of the stools. Hilda grabbed a stool for herself and moved to sit next to him. Claude leaned back, causing the stool to go onto its back legs, clearly trying to look extra relaxed.

"I suppose you've figured out why I was able to summon Almyran reinforcements, right?" Claude asked. Byleth looked at Edelgard. When Claude had asked him the same question, he hadn't made the connection. But Edelgard's political savvy was on a completely different level to his.

"You're from Almyra. Nobility, possibly royalty, correct?" Edelgard said. Claude gave a small grin.

"Sharp as ever. Yes, I'm from Almyra. And you could say I have some sway there, too. And I plan to get more." Claude said. Edelgard cocked an eyebrow.

"Oh?" She asked.

"I'm going to leave Fodlan. Return home. It's as you said, if I stay here, the Alliance loyalists won't stop fighting. So either I die… Or I leave. I'm choosing to leave. See if I can make a difference in Almyra, change things there," He paused. "Seems you have things covered on this side, right, Edelgard?" Claude asked. Edelgard folded her arms, looking thoughtful.

"You want to propose a future alliance? Between myself, as Emperor of Fodlan, and you, with whatever position you rise to in Almyra?" Edelgard asked. Claude nodded.

"Pretty tempting offer, right? That is, assuming your ambitions don't extend beyond Fodlan…" Claude said cautiously.

"They don't. I seek to dismantle the Church and the religion based around a false Goddess. I seek to rid Fodlan of this oppressive caste system and Crests. Almyra is dominated by neither." Edelgard said. Claude gave a small smile.

"Then I see no reason why we shouldn't work together, don't you?" Claude asked. Edelgard regarded him curiously.

"Five long years you've resisted my rule. Yet now that you're defeated, you're willing to offer an Alliance, but from a seat of power of the next nation over instead of the one you previously ruled? I can't make sense of you Claude. I know you received my manifesto. I know you feel the same as me, about the church, about Crests. So why didn't you ally with me?" Edelgard asked. Claude smiled once more, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"Honestly? I was kind of hoping to be the supreme leader myself when this was all over, helping guide the world to my ideals." Claude said. Byleth looked back at Edelgard, who had a clear look of surprise on her face.

"That… And I can't condone your methods… Or rather, I think you should've tried something else, first. Anything else." Claude said. Edelgard bristled slightly.

"You could've been free to try everything you wanted, Claude. You would've come to the same conclusion I did. Rhea was not giving up her power without a fight, and neither were the nobles of these three nations. A show of power is the only language they understand." Edelgard said, before continuing.

"So you are saying you would have been willing to start a war yourself if your own plans failed?" Edelgard asked. Claude merely gave her another smile.

"Ha… I'm not brave enough for something like that." He said, grinning. Byleth couldn't tell if he was telling the truth, or simply deflecting with humour.

"So… What do you say. Let me go with my head, and in the future, we can create an alliance between our nations. Don't you think that's a worthy cause?" Claude asked. Edelgard stayed silent for a while, thinking hard. Hilda gripped at her clothes in anticipation, whilst Claude looked like he had not a care in the world.

"How can I know I can trust you, Claude? You are the self-proclaimed "embodiment of distrust" after all. For someone so infatuated with schemes and diplomacy, you don't make yourself easy to trust." Edelgard said, bitingly. Claude lowered his head, and for the first time, Byleth saw him express an emotion that wasn't through some form of a smile.

"I know. I was young. Foolish. But I like to think the last five years have taught me a lot. Helped me grow, and realise what vying for peace actually entails. But I swear to you, Edelgard, I will honour my word. When the first envoys from Almyra come, it will be with declarations of peace, not war." Claude said. Edelgard looked at Byleth for a moment, and gave a small smile.

"We've both learned a lot in the last five years. I've learned that reaching out to others, even those who you think may never take your hand, can pay off in ways you could never believe. That sometimes… There are other paths than the bloody one." She said. Hilda sucked in her breath, and even Claude leaned forward, almost in disbelief.

"So I am going to trust you, Claude. You are free to leave. I hope the next time we meet, it will be as two leaders striving to build good relations between our nations." Edelgard said. She stood up, standing to her full height, and walked forward. Claude did the same. They regarded each other for a moment, and extended their hands to each other, grasping them firmly. After they broke apart and returned to their stools, Claude turned to Hilda.

"Hilda, I want you to represent the Alliance forces that will join the Empire. Lead the former Golden Deer well, a-" Claude didn't get to finish.

"What? Let you go off and have a wild adventure in some far away land when you stick _me_ with all the hard work?" Hilda shook her head.

"I'm going with you, Claude." She said. Claude slapped his hand on his forehead.

"Are you REALLY going to leave your home and your family behind just to get out of doing work?" He grinned. Hilda returned the grin in kind.

"Well… There may be _another_ reason…" She said teasingly, before continuing.

"Besides, you promised I'd get to meet your parents one day. You wouldn't want to break a promise like that right after declaring yourself so trustworthy, would you?" She said. Claude looked over at Byleth and Edelgard. The Emperor gave a bemused grin.

"She has you there, Claude." She said. Claude let out a theatrical sigh.

"Fiiine, fiine. I imagine Lorenz would be happy to take the position of representative anyway." Claude said. He turned to look at Byleth and shrugged.

"I never could say no to a beautiful woman," He joked. "But you know all about that, don't ya, Teach?" Claude said, grinning as his eyes flickered to Edelgard for a moment.

"Huh?" Byleth asked. He glanced at Edelgard, who was already bristling.

"I think we'd best end the negotiations here before you say something you regret, Claude." Edelgard said. Claude laughed. He went to the door, Hilda beside him, and turned around.

"Good luck Edelgard. You too, Byleth. I really hope you manage to change things for the better around here. Make sure these last five years weren't in vain." He said. Edelgard rose from her stool, and nodded.

"Good luck to you, too, Claude. I promise you, I will change Fodlan for the better." With a final nod, and a small wave from Hilda, the pair left.

Byleth and Edelgard stood in silence for some time. The Emperor made her way over to the window that Claude had been standing at, and looked down into the plaza. Finally, Byleth broke the silence.

"I disobeyed a direct order." Byleth said. Edelgard nodded.

"You did." She said.

"I'll accept whatever punishment you see fit." Byleth said. Edelgard turned around and, to his surprise, had a wry smile on her face.

"Do you know how many times Hubert has disobeyed a direct order of mine because he "knows what is best?" If he still gets to walk around with his head, I see no reason to take yours." Edelgard said, clear humour in her voice.

"Then… You're not angry?" Byleth asked. Edelgard turned around once again to look at the window.

"As Emperor, I should be. Having your two most trusted advisers ignore your orders whenever they think they know best doesn't project the image of an Emperor to be respected." She said. She placed a hand on the window and sighed.

"But my judgements are often flawed. I cannot see I was wrong until I have genuine proof in front of me." She said. She turned back to Byleth once more, smiling.

"You disobeyed an order. But you made the right call. You've secured the potential future leader of a powerful nation as not only an ally, but as someone indebted to us. If you had obeyed my orders, we'd have no such alliance on the cards, Almyran aggression to worry about, and the potential of reprisal from whatever power base Claude has in Almyra for killing their son. So, My Teacher… Thank you." Edelgard said. Byleth felt a soft smile form on his own lips.

"I will admit… I wasn't thinking of those things when I spared him. I just didn't want to have to kill someone I once called friend. So I can't take credit for those things." Byleth said. Edelgard shook her head dismissively.

"You trusted your heart and your instincts. They've always served me well, and they did so today. Don't sell yourself short, My Teacher." Edelgard said. They stood in silence again for a moment, before Edelgard beckoned Byleth over to stand next to her by the window. As they stood, side by side, they gazed out on Derdriu.

"After five long years… The Alliance has fallen and will rejoin the Empire. Finally, real progress has been made in this war. The dream of peace and a united Fodlan is starting to seem quite real all of a sudden." Edelgard said. Byleth nodded.

"There is still the Kingdom and the Church." Byleth said. Edelgard nodded solemnly.

"Yes… And I have a feeling that Dimitri will not be as open to discussion as Claude was. The soldiers of the Kingdom are nothing like those of the Alliance. They have sworn everything to their king. They will fight until the bitter, bloody end." Edelgard said, her gaze going distant.

"But those worries are a long time off yet." Byleth said.

"Come. Let's rejoin the others. I imagine you have no end of letters to read, papers to sign, nobles to appease." Byleth said. As he turned to leave, he felt Edelgard's hand wrap around his. He turned back, to see her smiling warmly.

"Thank you for choosing me, My Teacher. This never would've happened without you. With you by my side… I feel like I could face the Goddess herself and win." Edelgard said. Byleth returned the smile with one of his own. He placed his free hand on top of Edelgard's, encompassing her hand in his.

"If it was for you, I'd gladly face down anyone, Edelgard." He said. They regarded each other in silence once more. Byleth almost told her, right here and now, that he loved her. But now wasn't the appropriate time at all. Wounded to attend, bodies to move, dead to mourn. Endless things had to be done.

And there was still the celebration when they returned to the Monastery. He would tell her then.

* * *

It was nearly a fortnight before they finally arrived at the Monastery,

They had stayed in Derdriu for a week, attending to matters. Treating the wounded, negotiating with people of power within the Alliance. At Edelgard's decree, Count Bergliez, Caspar's father, would be overseeing affairs within Alliance territories for the foreseeable future. Byleth, for the most part, didn't get involved. It wasn't his place. He simply stayed by Edelgard's side, fulfilling any request she had and being there as a source of support.

When it came time to leave, Edelgard was confident that Count Bergliez could handle matters from there on. The wounded were packed up, the fallen laid to rest, and the Imperial Army returned to the Monastery. The trip was uneventful, and Byleth was thankful for it. They all needed time to rest after this campaign, and it gave him much needed time to talk with his students.

Dorothea, as it turned out, was very enthusiastic about the prospect of a celebration. She talked excitedly about what she would wear, and what decorations they would have, what music they would play and if she herself should sing. Byleth found himself smiling along with her as she talked. He knew that the former songstress did not have much to look forward to these days.

Finally, they arrived at the Monastery. The bulk of the army remained outside the central monastery grounds, as the Black Eagle strike force and a small retinue of others made their way up the hill to the main grounds.

As they entered through the large portcullis into the central part of the Monastery, Byleth was surprised to see two familiar faces waiting for them.

"Ah! It really is you! The reports were true then… Goddess it's good you see you." Manuela said, rushing forward to place her hands on Byleth's cheeks. Behind her he saw Hanneman giving him a small bow.

"Ah! You haven't aged a day! Please, Byleth you must tell me your secret!" Manuela cried, her soft, affectionate grip starting to tighten a little.

"A-ah… It's not like I had control over it…!" Byleth said. Manuela immediately left go and folded her arms under her chest.

"Hmph, fine, keep your secret." She said. Her small bout of pouting was quickly replaced with a genuine smile.

"It is really good to see you again, Byleth. We all mourned your loss." Manuela said. Hanneman approached now, nodding in agreement. He came forward and shook Byleth's hand, a large smile on his face.

"It is so very good to see you, my friend." Hanneman said. Byleth returned the smile in turn.

"It is as Manuela said. We all felt your less keenly. The Emperor most of all. It must do her well to have you by her side again." He said. As if on cue, Edelgard approached them now, with Dorothea beside her. The younger songstress let out a happy cry as she saw Manuela, and rushed forward to greet her. Edelgard walked up to Hanneman and offered him a deep bow. Byleth had been about to ask them what they were doing here, and why, it seems, they had chosen to side with Edelgard. But he decided that could wait.

"Professor Hanneman. It is good to see you. Your business in Enbarr is concluded then?" She asked. Hanneman nodded.

"It is indeed. I… I truly think I may have made some progress on the matter." Hanneman said. Edelgard inhaled sharply, before giving a truly beaming smile.

"That is… Wonderful, Hanneman. And I won't be the only one glad to hear it." Edelgard said. Looking behind her, standing a distance back, Edelgard gestured to Lysithea, who was busy chatting away to Linhardt. Hanneman adjusted his spectacles, his mouth falling open in surprise.

"Lysithea von Ordelia…" He said. He swallowed hard, then nodded in affirmation to Edelgard.

"Yes. I do think she will be most happy." He said. Byleth looked between them both. He had no idea what they were talking about but… It wasn't in his nature to pry. If Edelgard wanted him to know, she would tell him. She quickly glanced aside to him, her smile was warm and eyes almost sparkling. Byleth felt an immediate pressure in his chest.

"Well, My Teacher. I have a lot to discuss with Hanneman. I'll come and find you soon." Edelgard said. Byleth nodded and walked on ahead. As he passed Dorothea and Manuela, he could already hear them excitedly talking about the upcoming celebrations. Somehow, he felt that was going to be the main topic for the next few days.

* * *

True to his prediction, it felt like everything about the new few days was purely surrounding the party. Matters of vital importance were still being attended to, but by who he couldn't say, as Dorothea had somehow managed to get even Hubert to help out with the party planning over his usual affairs.

Byleth helped wherever he was asked, putting up streamers with Dorothea, helping Ferdinand select the finest wines, moving food supplies around with Petra.

Finally, the celebration was just one day away. It was clearly going to be a large affair, looking to pour out of the Monastery grounds itself, all the way down to the village below. The celebration was for every soldier after all, and the entire Imperial army couldn't fit on the main grounds.

Byleth knew the time he would try to explain his feelings to Edelgard was fast approaching. Having no idea where to even begin with planning his approach, he was keeping himself busy. Today, he was helping Bernadetta make cakes in the kitchen.

Bernadetta spoke happily as she baked, Byleth deferring to her judgement and happily being her assistant on the matter.

"Ooh, don't you think we should make a special cake for Lady Edelgard?" Bernadetta asked as she put a fresh batch in the oven. Byleth smiled.

"She does like her cakes… I think she'd love that, Bernadetta." Byleth said. The shy girl clapped her hands together.

"Great! Then will you go and find out what her favourite cake is?" Bernadetta asked. Byleth immediately frowned.

"Me? Why don't we just surprise her?" Byleth asked. Bernadetta's face fell in shock.

"What?! No no no Professor! What if she hates it!? What if she's allergic to it, and she eats it, and dies! Then they'd have us arrested, and tortured, and execu-" Bernadetta's rising hysteria was cut off by Byleth.

"Okay, Bernadetta, I'll go. Don't worry, I'll try to be quick." Byleth said. He hadn't exactly been avoiding Edelgard, but he had felt an intense pressure around her in the time building up to the party.

Besides, it was just asking her what kind of cake she likes the most. It's not like something embarrassing might happen.

Byleth asked around for sightings of Edelgard, and quickly learned that she was seen retreating to her room, requesting she be left alone. As Byleth had learned, that specific request never quite seemed to apply if it was him visiting and went to go find her anyway. This knowledge seemed to be known to Magnus and Alberich, her two most trusted guards, as when he approached the students dorms they moved their spears and let him through without a word.

As Byleth was walking up the stairs, trying to figure out if he should try to subtly get her cake preferences out of her or ask outright, he heard a scream.

A scream coming from Edelgard's room.

_Edelgard!_

Without thinking, Byleth rushed to her door and opened it, barging in.

"Edelgard!" He cried out, expecting to see an intruder or would be assassin trying to kill her.

Instead, he found Edelgard standing on her bed, arms wrapped around herself. Her hair was down and she wore a simple, red cotton shirt and trousers. There was no sign of any intruder in the room. The only thing out of place was a canvas, the back facing toward him, and a wooden palette and brush dropped on the floor, the still wet paint visible.

"P-Professor!" Edelgard cried out, looking shocked to see him.

"Edelgard, are you okay?! What happened?" He asked. Edelgard looked around, her fear quickly being replaced with embarrassment.

"I… There… There was a rat." Edelgard said, cheeks already burning red.

"A rat…?" Byleth asked. Edelgard nodded.

"I saw it and… I do not enjoy the company of rats. Back… Back in Enbarr, when I was down in the dungeons… There were a LOT of rats there... Even seeing one just makes me… Ugh." Edelgard said, deflating slightly. Byleth walked over to her, reaching out a hand. She gladly took it and hopped off the bed to stand next to him. Byleth gave her a soft smile.

"You know, you let out a pretty cute cry when you're scared." Byleth joked, trying to lessen the tension. Edelgard immediately bristled, her fear quickly being replaced with indignance.

"C-cute…? Ha! Well, that is…" Edelgard spluttered unable to even look at him. Byleth let out a soft laugh and turned around, looking at her dropped objects.

"Here, I'll grab what you dropped. I didn't know you painted, Edelgard. Let me see..." Byleth said, reaching down to grab the wooden palette and brush.

"Painted- Oh, Professor! No, _wait!" _Edelgard cried, but it was too late. Byleth had bent over, but he had frozen in place as he looked at the canvas.

It was a portrait of a person. Mostly finished. It was actually quite well done. It looked almost exactly like them.

Exactly like him.

"Wha-" Byleth didn't get to finish the thought as Edelgard's tiny but terrifyingly strong frame bared into him, rushing him away from the portrait.

"Professor! Y-you must leave here at once!" Edelgard cried. He'd seen her blush before but… Her face was burning red up to her ears.

"Was that a painting of m-" Byleth tried to ask, but Edelgard cut him off.

"Ah, I don't even have time to listen I'm afraid! I… I recalled that Hubert needs to speak to me and I MUST prepare for it immediately!" She cried out. Byleth's mind was a whirl. This situation somehow seemed less understandable than when he first faced down the Immaculate One. That's probably why he didn't catch the true meaning behind anything Edelgard was trying to say.

"No he doesn't, Dorothea has him helping Caspar with party security." Byleth said. Edelgard froze, clearly desperate.

"Th-then… Er… I have an important meeting to attend! Not with Hubert though… With, er… It doesn't matter!" She stepped back, guarding the portrait with her body.

"I must change my clothes! Now! Whatever you do, don't look this way!" Edelgard cried. However poorly he was handling the situation, he quickly realised it was nothing compared to how flustered Edelgard was with what she did next.

As if to prove her point, and in an effort to make him avert his gaze, she grabbed her cotton shirt and made a mockery of lifting it, as if she meant to remove it. The thin material rose up, exposing the pale skin of her well-toned stomach. Her abdominal muscles were visible, as well as many small scars that traced along her stomach.

If it were anyone else, or were he less dazed, he imagined the plan would've worked. He knew that you were to avert your gaze if you were ever to come upon a lady in a state of undress. But that line of thinking was as alien to him as love. Noble ladies, their dresses, and what was under them, had never really crossed Byleth's mind in any meaningful capacity. Until this very moment.

Byleth's mouth fell open and he realised he was staring at her. Edelgard had been closing her eyes as she was doing it and now risked a single peep. Her own mouth fell open as she saw Byleth staring.

"M-My Teacher!" She cried, letting her shirt drop back down. Somehow, against all odds, her face went even redder.

"I- Er-... Ahem, I didn't mean to stare! I just wanted to see-" He began.

"W… Wanted to see?!" Edelgard cried out. Byleth shut his mouth that moment, realising anything else he could say in this situation would only worsen it. Edelgard stared at him a moment longer, so embarrassed he swore he saw tears in her eyes.

"I'll… Leave." Byleth choked out. He turned around and quickly rushed out the door, slamming it behind him.

Byleth rushed out of the dorms, heading quickly back to the kitchen to find Bernadetta.

A thousand thoughts assaulted his mind. Had he offended Edelgard so greatly she'd never want to see him again?

Why was she painting a portrait of him in secret?

And what did it mean that, in that portrait, his hair was the old familiar black-blue that he'd had all his life, and not the recent change to the lime tinted white?

* * *

Edelgard buried her face in her pillow. She hadn't moved for nearly half an hour now. She simply wanted to sink into the bed and be swallowed.

She had faced down cavalry charges, wyvern charges. Forces twice their size and hulking soldiers twice her height.

Yet why was it she so often made a fool of herself when faced with the man she loved?

"He's going to think I'm some lovestruck fool…" She sighed to herself. She finally rolled onto her back and stared absently at the ceiling. She hadn't counted on him not looking away when she made to take her clothes off… But she knew her teacher. He wasn't the sort of man to lech. In fact, she wasn't sure she'd _ever_ seen his eyes wander in such away, even around Dorothea and Manuela. Whilst she had no general desire to have eyes look at her in such a way… Sometimes she'd felt disheartened at the thought that the Professor never might.

She tugged her top up a little, once again exposing her muscled stomach littered with scars. She gently traced her fingertips along each scar, pondering.

_The least of them_ she thought to herself.

_If the Professor ever saw the full extent of the scarring on my torso… He'd be sickened._ She thought to herself. She shook her head and got up from the bed. She looked at the portrait of her Professor and felt a burning shame inside her. She'd started painting it a year back. Even though she promised to never give up hope that he'd return… Even she was starting to feel the creeping finality that he may very well be gone forever. With every nightmare she had, every setback in the war, every lost battle and new lot of casualties, she'd wanted nothing more than to see his face once more. She would have given anything for it.

So she decided to paint him. To keep his memory and his visage close to her. So that if she awoke from a horrible nightmare, she could gaze at it, and feel like he was back in her life once again.

When he returned, she had no need for the painting anymore but… She hated to leave things unfinished. And it simply felt… Nice… Painting it. Almost like she was some ordinary girl doodling pictures of her crush.

Edelgard bowed her head shamefully and put the portrait away. She felt humiliated and pathetic. It was a hopeless dream. Byleth was her mentor, her ally. Though she often had hope, such as when they embraced, or when he held her hand…

"No. I can't let myself be distracted by such things. I can't let heartbreak impede my ability to lead this war." She said aloud. She didn't know how she was going to face the Professor at the celebration tomorrow, but she was determined not to let this event ruin what might be one of the last peaceful moments she ever got to have with the love of her life.

* * *

Byleth could already hear the sound of the festivities beginning as he approached the main hall. He had managed to stuff himself into a tight yet, according to Dorothea, "highly fashionable" suit for the occasion. It itched, and felt like it restricted his movement but… There was no arguing with Dorothea on these matters. As he approached the main entrance, he found the entire class waiting for him, save Hubert. They all greeted him warmly, even Edelgard, despite the fact she was trying to avoid his gaze. They were all dressed for the occasion, too, and all looked quite charming. Edelgard in particular was wearing a red dress with black sleeves, covering all of her skin save her face, as most of her outfits did. Her hair was still in the twin bun style, and she still wore her crown.

"Professor! You are looking dashing!" Petra said happily.

"Indeed, Professor! You look the very picture of nobility!" Ferdinand agreed. Edelgard looked up at him and gave him a small smile.

"You look very handsome, My Teacher." Edelgard said. Byleth gave a smile in return.

"You all look lovely. So where's Hubert?" Byleth asked. Dorothea made a groaning noise.

"I've got people looking for him. He'll attend this party by the end of the night, wherever he likes it or not." Dorothea said, before clapping her hands.

"Right, they're waiting for our lovely Emperor before they begin in earnest. Shall we enter?" Dorothea asked. The group agreed. Dorothea stepped forward, and pushed the large, ornate doors open. Byleth took a deep breath. He would tell her tonight. No matter what.

Together, they all entered the great hall, and the celebrations began.


	8. Love

_Author's Note:_

_Sorry for the long update on this one. It's been one big ole mix of writer's block, a lack of inspiration and exhaustion from how busy my schedule has been. By the time I get home I'm way too tired to write, and the days I had some energy left I've just had the absolute worst case of writer's block. I'm honestly worried about the quality of this chapter, but I sincerely hope you enjoy it anyway. Thank you all for the continued reviews, follows, favourites, etc. I'm really not too confident in my own writing anymore, but it still makes me happy to know that there's people who appreciate it._

_So, enjoy the chapter, and there'll be another author's note at the end to discuss some things._

* * *

_Edelgard sat on carved wooden chair that was much too large for her. Her small hands, wrapped tightly in pure white gloves, were clenched over her lap and gripped tightly at her flowing red dress. Her body throbbed in pain, all through her chest, her arms, her head. The noise of the dancers, coupled with the blaring music from the orchestra, only served to exacerbate the pain that thumped through her skull._

_She didn't want to be here. She'd rather be anywhere else right now… Well, that wasn't true. There was one place far worse than here, a place she'd rather die than go back to, especially after just so recently being let free from it. But the idea that there really was somewhere worse than here did little to comfort her right now, and it would be some time yet until she was "freed" from here, too. Her Uncle, Arundel, had hosted this ball to celebrate Edelgard's "return to health" from the tragic illness that had claimed the rest of her siblings. She felt nothing but hatred burn in her heart when she saw her Uncle feign heart break as he addressed the gathered nobles, many of them who knew exactly the hand he had played in it all, as he told them of the deaths of the many children of the Emperor, and how, by the grace of the Goddess, Edelgard had miraculously survived. _

_And so, she was made to sit on her chair and accept the feigned condolences of endless nobles who were no doubt already plotting on how they would use this to their advantage. Forced to play along, and lie about the events of the "illness" whilst her body was still racked with pain from the procedures forced upon her. _

_Edelgard felt disgust overcome her as she saw Arundel approach, a small smile on his lips._

"_My dearest Niece. The attendees are eager to see you dance. It will do much to assure them that you are healthy and hale." Arundel said. He extended a hand toward her. Edelgard simply stared at it, physically fighting the urge to recoil away._

"_Don't just stare, my dearest Niece. Get up." Arundel said. Edelgard swallowed hard and placed her hand in his. He gripped it tightly, knowing he was digging his fingers into still healing wounds, likely as punishment for her moment's hesitation. Edelgard hissed in pain, but did her best to hide it. She dreaded to think what he would do in retaliation if she exposed her pain to the public. A loud cheer went up from the onlookers as Arundel led her to the dance floor. Edelgard tried to disappear inside herself, to picture herself in a happier time. Playing with her sisters, fighting with wooden swords with her brothers, anywhere, any-_

_Arundel dug his fingers in once more, snapping her back to reality. He stared down at her coldly, having clearly seen her vacant expression._

"_Come, dear Niece. Dance with me." He smiled._

_As the music swelled around them, Arundel began to lead the dance. Edelgard followed along, fighting back the pain, fighting back the urge to vomit from being so close to this monster. Fighting back the tears over how powerless she felt._

"_Good." Arundel whispered, staring down at her with a grin. Edelgard held his gaze for a few moments longer, before turning her head away. She heard a satisfied chuckle come from Arundel as she did. She scanned the crowd around them and finally spotted Hubert. The youth's face was a mask of dark fury, his eyes unnaturally wide as he watched Arundel parade Edelgard around the dance floor. She met his eyes for a moment, and looked away. How hard it was to meet anyone's gaze these days._

_What she would give to be done with all this. In this moment, she knew in her heart, she'd burn this entire castle down and everyone in it if it meant that Arundel, and the rest of the twisted nobility would burn with them. All she felt was agony. Her heart pained her as much as her body in this moment, and as Arundel pulled her closer, tenderly patting her head in a crude mimicky of family affection, she honestly wondered if she'd ever feel anything but pain ever again._

* * *

Edelgard was snapped out of her reverie as Dorothea plopped next to her on the bench, red faced and slightly out of breath.

"Still not going to dance, Edie?" Dorothea asked, smiling widely. Edelgard sat up straight, hands crossed over her legs, and observed the dance floor. Unlike the more traditional balls she was used too, the dancing now was a lot more… animated. Instead of arrogant nobles doing their best to look presentable and "proper," here were soldiers who had marched to battle after battle and survived, and now saw the end of this madness in sight. Her eyes finally settled on him… on her teacher, currently dancing with Petra and trying to imitate the woman's exotic dance moves. Deep inside, she felt the slightest twinge of jealousy.

"I think I'll wait…" Edelgard said. Dorothea followed her gaze and her grin grew even wider.

"Waiting for someone to ask you first, are we? Oh Edie, I always thought you'd be the dominant type, you know." Dorothea said. Edelgard looked at Dorothea in shock.

"I'm not sure what you mean, Dorothea." Edelgard said curtly.

"Oh I think you know exactly what I mean, Edie. But our dear Professor is quite clueless, you know. If you don't make a move, he might think you're not interested." Dorothea said. Edelgard knew that Dorothea was trying to manipulate her into making a move on Byleth. Knowing that didn't seem to make it less effective though.

"You know, you two are usually attached at the hip, yet you've barely spoken to each other all night. Did you have a falling out?" Dorothea asked. Edelgard immediately felt a flush of shame overcome her as she remembered the incident with the painting. After they entered the main hall, Edelgard gave a brief speech to announce the beginning of the celebration. After that, food had been brought out and served, and Edelgard and Byleth had sat next to each other on the table… Or it would be more accurate to say that it seemed everyone assumed they were going to sit next to each other anyway and made room for them.

And so they did sit next to each other… And didn't speak. They could barely make eye contact. Edelgard knew that her teacher was likely so appalled at the thought of her painting a portrait of him like some love-sick fool that he'd lost all respect for her. Forget about ever seeing her as a woman he could love… How could he even respect her as an Emperor after th-

"Edie…? You're staring off into space again." Dorothea prodded, looking at her curiously.

"Ah, forgive me, Dorothea. Ahem, I am simply not feeling in the mood to dance." Edelgard said. It wasn't entirely a lie. She'd been in a low mood all night due to the gulf between her and Byleth, and the sour mood was bringing back some unsavoury memories.

Dorothea let out a slight hum. The former songstress studied her carefully, before getting what Edelgard could only describe as a "Ah-hah!" look on her face. Without missing a beat, Dorothea shot to her feet and grabbed Edelgard's hands, pulling her onto the dance floor. Edelgard gasped slightly, briefly wondering if she should pull away and chastise Dorothea. It wouldn't do to have the other see the Emperor being led around like this but… Edelgard put such thoughts aside. This was a celebration, after all, and it didn't personally bother her, besides. As they reached the dance floor, Edelgard looked around. Byleth was still dancing with Petra and hadn't seemed to notice her yet. Ferdinand and Caspar were trying to get Bernadetta and Linhardt to join them on the dance floor, and she even spotted Lysithea and Leonie a fair distance away, talking amongst themselves. Hubert, as expected, was nowhere to be seen.

"Alright, Edie. I know you can do those stuffy noble dances, but let's see if you can keep up with this. Look, even the Professor is trying to perform traditional Brigid dance moves!" Dorothea exclaimed. Edelgard smiled widely, feeling the tension leave her body somewhat. She snuck a glance at Byleth, who was trying to perform some bizzare move with his arms crossed over his chest, squatting down, and kicking his legs out in turn. The smile now turned into a full laugh as she felt her chest flutter a little. Her teacher was somehow able to maintain his deadpan expression even whilst trying, and failing, such an expressive dance. Dorothea took Edelgard's hands now and the pair began to dance, their movements picking up speed as the band transitioned to a more energetic tune. Dorothea slipped a hand around the small of Edelgard's back and grinned widely.

"So, Edie, I was thinking more about that opera that would be written about you." Dorothea said.

"Oh? Were you now? You're not going to embarrass me with another song, are you?" Edelgard asked, only half-joking. Dorothea shook her head.

"I was just thinking about what a wonderful pair of leads you and the Professor would make, that's all. Oh I can see it now, a fated meeting on a battlefield, student and teacher turned Emperor and loyal champion… A love story to capture the heart of the masses!" Dorothea said. Edelgard gasped in shock.

"Dorothea!" Edelgard cried. Dorothea feigned an innocent smile.

"What? It's a dramatic opera, and the story writes itself! Of _course_ the two characters would fall _madly _in love. Even if it's not historically accurate… Right?" Dorothea said, trailing her voice off in an obviously teasing way. Edelgard could feel that the songstress said that purely to gauge her reaction.

"Well… That is…" Edelgard began, her train of thought interrupted as she saw that the dancers around the floor were swapping partners as part of the dance. She felt Dorothea quickly lead her in a specific direction, her grin widening. Edelgard's mind moved a mile a minute.

_Does she intend to-_

Realising what her friend was planning tried to maneuver them away, but it was far too late. Dorothea spun her and let go. As she whirled, she briefly saw Petra shoot quickly past her, rushing into Dorothea's arms.

_Oh no._ Edelgard thought, almost losing her balance before a pair of hands caught her and steadied her.

"Edelgard! Are you alright?" Came the voice. Edelgard turned her head up and stared into the eyes of her teacher.

"Ah- I'm fine. I- I just wasn't prepared, that's all!" Edelgard said. Byleth nodded, smiling slightly and then… did nothing. The pair stared awkwardly at each other, the tension still thick between them. Edelgard glanced around, realised people were beginning to stare, and swallowed hard. She took Byleth's arms, put them on the proper positions on her and initiated the dance. They danced in silence, not meeting each other's eyes. She briefly looked around to see if there was anyone near for them to swap partners with, but upon seeing the Emperor fall into the arms of her most trusted general, it seems there wasn't a single soul in the room who were going to risk separating them. Ordinarily, that would've made her very, very happy… But now…

_Come on, Edelgard. You've faced down worse than this. This isn't like back then… Not at all._

She took a deep breath.

"My Teacher." Edelgard said. She looked up at him now, catching his gaze. Byleth gave her a strained, awkward smile.

"Edelgard." He said. Edelgard sighed slightly, making sure that their dance wasn't interrupted.

"About the painting-" She began.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to walk in on something so private." Byleth said. Edelgard nodded, intending to continue speaking before Byleth spoke first.

"And I also didn't mean to try and watch you undress-" He began.

"My Teacher! Please… Please just forget that part ever happened." Edelgard said, feeling her cheeks burning red. Byleth nodded in agreement.

"And… Please. Keep everything that happened to yourself. I can't let such stories about me circulate. If it did… I'd struggle to forgive even you." Edelgard said, still feeling completely mortified.

"I haven't told anyone. And I'll take it to my grave." Byleth said. Edelgard let out a relieved sigh. She had never expected him to gossip about her but… It helped to get confirmation. They continued to dance in silence for a bit, until Byleth asked the question she had been dreading.

"Edelgard… Why did you paint a portrait of me?" Byleth asked. She couldn't meet his eyes anymore and turned her gaze away once again.

"I'm sorry, My Teacher. It's a shameful thing for one of my standing to do. And even worse, the portrait itself is disgraceful. It looks nothing like you." Edelgard huffed. It was one thing to do something you knew you shouldn't. But to do it anyway then do it poorly? Unacceptable. Byleth shook his head.

"Honestly, Edelgard, I'm flattered that you did. I don't think it's shameful at all. Nor do I think it was disgraceful. I can't say I understand art but, I think it was incredible. But I'd like to know why you painted it." Byleth asked. Edelgard tightened her grip on Byleth, still unable to bring herself to meet his gaze again.

"Because I missed you. I wanted to be able to see your face again." Edelgard said. Byleth's eyes widened and his mouth parted slightly, but he said nothing. Confident that the music and ambience of the room was too loud for anyone else to hear, Edelgard didn't stop herself from telling him the truth.

"I fell asleep missing you. I woke up missing you. Whenever I had a nightmare, I no longer had my source of comfort. I no longer had you. For every difficult decision I had to make, for every battle I lost… I didn't have you there to guide me. I wanted so badly to see you again… But I couldn't let others see that weakness. So I… Started painting." Edelgard said, finally turning to look at him. But now it was his turn to cast his eyes down.

"I'm sorry. I wish I could have been there for all it all." Byleth said. She could see he was clearly struggling to find the words, find some way to express the depth of his sorrow. But she didn't need to hear them. She could feel it, from his every action.

"I know, My Teacher. But you're here now. It's all that matters. And thanks to you, we'll soon see an end to this war, and a new dawn for Fodlan." Edelgard said. The pair smiled at each other once more. She felt Byleth relax into her arm as they began to dance more naturally. Edelgard felt the tension leave her completely, and the icy knot that had coiled in her heart melt away. Always, she was always afraid that she'd be abandoned once again. Even though Byleth had never shown anything but true affection and care to her… Some scars never truly healed. Normally, she'd chastise herself more harshly for being so weak and insecure, but right now… As she stared into his eyes and was held in his arms, she... she…

"Edie, Professor. The music has stopped." Edelgard flinched at the sudden interruption. Edelgard looked around, seeing the rapidly emptying dance floor as people returned to their tables.

"Bit distracted with something, were we?" Dorothea asked. Petra came up beside her, a wide, innocent smile on her face.

"They were distracted with their most intimate dance, of course!" Petra said.

"Intimate?!" Edelgard cried, once again feeling her face tinge red. She let go of Byleth and stole a glance to see his own reaction. As usual, there wasn't one. He was as stone faced as usual.

"Oh don't torment the two, Petra." Dorothea said.

_A fine statement coming from you, Dorothea_ Edelgard grumbled inwardly.

"They're serving desserts and wine now, come on." Dorothea said as she led them back to the tables.

The wall that had been up between her and Byleth had shattered completely. They sat together comfortably once more, happily eating desserts and wine that Ferdinand himself had had shipped in from his family's personal cellar. At one point, Bernadetta fearfully approached Edelgard and offered her a cake she had hand made for her, a gift that touched Edelgard more deeply that the timid girl would likely ever know.

After finishing the desserts, the party moved outside into the courtyard, where huge bonfires were lit and entertainment of all kinds could be found around the monastery. Dancers, jugglers, story tellers. Edelgard and Byleth broke off from the crowd, exploring the grounds together, completely losing track of time as they took part in the festivities.

They were in the middle of watching a juggler have five daggers on the go at once, when Edelgard overheard the pair next to her.

"Come on, we need t' get down t' the fishin' pond!" The taller man said. When questioned why, his face was one of shock.

"You didn't hear just now? Manuela and Dorothea are puttin' on a show!" He cried, all but dragging the other man off with him. Edelgard smiled widely. Manuela, singing? Oh how she loved to watch her in the Enbarr opera house when she was a child. She turned to look at Byleth, ready to drag him off, when she realised he was listening in on his own conversation.

"They're having a fighting competition in the training grounds! I heard Alberich and Magnus have been fightin' for forty minutes now and neither ones giving an inch!" He cried. Her Teacher listened in fascination. Edelgard bristled slightly. If he wanted to watch that, she'd ask the pair to perform for him later! There was no way she was missing out on Manuela and Dorothea's performance!

"Edelgard! Did you hear? Your honour guard are-" Edelgard cut him off.

"I heard. They always do this when there's alcohol involved. But Manuela and Dorothea are about to perform down at the fishing spot. Oh, I haven't heard Manuela sing in so long." Edelgard said. Byleth looked torn for a moment, as if he might tell her she should go alone and they'd meet up later.

_Unacceptable._ Edelgard thought. Briefly wondering if the wine she had drunk earlier had affected her far more than she thought, she leaned closer to Byleth, giving a sweet smile.

"Please, My Teacher. I'd very much like to see the performance with you… I'd be so grateful." She said, trailing her voice off. Byleth swallowed heavily, and nodded.

"Then we better hurry!" Byleth said, taking off enthusiastically. She now briefly wondered just how much the wine had affected him, too.

By the time they got there, the entire place was packed to the brim. Edelgard had quietly accepted she was going to miss it, she didn't want to pull rank and have others miss out on the experience because of hrt, after all. But it didn't take long for people to notice her and immediately start clearing the way.

"It's Emperor Edelgard! Clear out!"

"Make way for the Emperor!"

Edelgard smiled warmly, waving thankfully at the crowd as her and Byleth made their way through.

They finally made their way to the front of the crowd, just in time for the pair to start singing. As badly as she wanted to, she did not take Byleth's hand as they stood together watching the show. As expected, Manuela singing was wonderful. She performed a song that Edelgard had always favoured, a gallant tale of a soldier who had left his poor village to earn a grand fortune and fame in the service of the Emperor, returning when the war had finally ended with riches and glory to share for his family. The gathered soldiers seemed to approve of the song too, she thought, as she saw their bright smiles and loud cheers.

_In the Fodlan I will create, each of you will be able to rise as high in society as you deserve, my dear soldiers…_

When Manuela finished her set, it was now Dorothea's turn, she appeared on the stage and gave a lovely smile to the crowd.

"I wonder what she will sing…" Edelgard asked aloud, looking at Byleth. Byleth shrugged slightly.

"I've never been one to appreciate music, though Ferdinand has talked at length about what a fantastic singer Dorothea is. Have you heard her sing before?" Byleth asked. Edelgard nodded.

"Only a few times…" Edelgard said, trailing off. When the crowd's cheers died down, Dorothea cleared her throat and spoke.

"Good evening, everyone! I do hope you're all enjoying yourselves tonight?" She asked. More cheers from the crowd, and, Edelgard thought, she heard a few declarations of love.

"Tonight, I will be performing a song I wrote myself." She said with a devilish grin. Edelgard's breath caught in her throat.

_No. Please._

"And the subject of the song is someone very near and dear to all our hearts!" Dorothea said.

_Dorothea, goodness, please don't._

Dorothea cleared her throat and began to sing.

"Hail, the mighty Edelgard, though red blood stains her stooory~" Dorothea sang. Edelgard closed her eyes, willing her face to not burn bright red. She would insult Dorothea by lowering her head or openly grimacing but… Did she have to sing _this_ song?!

After what felt like a humiliating eternity, Dorothea finished, ending the song with a final "Hail Edelgard", which the gathered soldiers repeated back to her, cheering wildly. Edelgard finally risked a glance at Byleth, who's gaze she had been avoiding through the entire song. He had a sly grin on his face.

"I must say, I liked the song more than I thought." Byleth said. Edelgard pursed her lips.

"I'm sure you did." Edelgard huffed.

"I may have to ask Dorothea to teach it to me-" Byleth began, before Edelgard interrupted up.

"My Teacher! Please! Dorothea singing it is enough…" Edelgard sighed. Byleth continued to grin at her, and she felt him move slightly closer as Manuela came onto the stage and the pair began to sing a duet. As opposed to a song hailing… her… Or a soldier's gallant tale, this song was far more restrained and romantic. Edelgard looked around, noticing more than a few couples holding each other and swaying along. She stole a glance at Byleth, who was transfixed by the performance on the stage.

She'd give anything to be able to hold him now and feel his closeness. She'd give anything to have the courage to tell him the true depths of her feelings… But even the thought that he might not return them paralyzed her. No… For now, at least, she'd let herself live with the fantasy of what could be, rather than jeopardizing everything the two had together for what might be. As much as it pained her, it was the safest path right now. She let out a quiet sigh and turned her gaze back to the stage, watching as the pair finished their song, though her thoughts were in such turmoil she couldn't even hear it.

* * *

After their set was done, the crowd moved back into the main courtyard, where the band from the before had now set up. Byleth led Edelgard to the stretch of green that sat outside the former classrooms, following the crowd, and under the starry sky and the light of the bonfires, the dancing began anew. Wilder and more passionate now, the crowds cheered and laughed, jumping and hopping around, the alcohol having successfully lowered inhibitions all around. Byleth took Edelgard in his arms and the pair began to sway to and fro beneath the light of the crackling flames, sharing only brief words and laughs between them.

Byleth's thoughts once again went to how he had never really focused on anyone's physical attractiveness. His whole life, it never mattered to him. But now, seeing Edelgard dancing with him, her gentle features lit up by the orange glow of the fire, the small beads of sweat running down her forehead…

He glanced around as they danced, the rest of the class joining them. Dorothea danced with Ferdinand, Petra with Bernadetta, Caspar had somehow dragged Linhardt onto the grass and was forcing him to move.

Byleth turned back to look at Edelgard, who was now staring intently at him, and their eyes locked.

_Tell her. Just tell her… Ah, think what Sothis would be saying right now. How she'd mock you for your indecision. Then again… She'd likely chastise me if I told her I loved her here in front of the army._

Byleth was pulled from his reverie as Edelgard called for him.

"My Teacher… I… I'm so happy you're here with me tonight." Edelgard said. Byleth smiled warmly at her, instinctively pulling her a little closer to him. They continued to dance together, their eyes locked and never parting, until Byleth could feel the words he longed so desperately to speak all but bubbling onto his lips.

_Not here…_

He glanced around. It was dark and poorly lit. No one would notice… Byleth abruptly stopped the dance and took Edelgard's hand.

"My Teacher?" Edelgard asked, flustered.

"Let's go somewhere else." Byleth said.

"Somewhere else..?!" Edelgard squeaked. Byleth nodded and rushed off. Edelgard didn't resist, coming along with him without question. They rushed through the throng of bodies, breaking away from the crowd and into the dark of the Monastery proper.

_The Goddess Tower… Of course… It has to be there._

Whilst the rest of the Monastery was quieter, there were still revelers here and there, couples drunkenly kissing, having snuck off for privacy, small groups of older soldiers talking quietly amongst themselves. As they reached the bridge leading to the chapel, they found a contingent of guards waiting there.

_Of course… We set guards here, we couldn't leave the Holy Tomb unprotected._

"Halt!" The lead guard cried as he saw them approach. It was clearly too dark to make out who they were.

"Identify yourselves!" He called, raising his torch to get a better look. His jaw all but dropped as he saw who it was.

"Ah! Commander, Emperor! Is something amiss? Is there danger?" He asked with worry. The guards behind him put their hands to their weapons. Byleth looked at Edelgard, who simply gave him an equally perplexed look.

"Nothing is amiss, Captain. The Emperor and I simply wish for a break from the festivities. Would you allow us to pass?" Byleth asked. The Captain looked at Edelgard, who nodded.

"It's alright, Captain." Edelgard confirmed. The captain nodded, and waved the torch, ordering the others to make way. The pair walked calmly through and over the bridge until, confident they were out of sight, Byleth took Edelgard's hand once more and rushed through. As they got to the Goddess Tower, Byleth pushed the door open and rushed up the stairs with Edelgard in-tow.

As they reached the top, Byleth led them out onto the balcony overlooking the Monastery. Dozens of small, orange flickers lit up the grounds, and even further on, from the path that led down from the Monastery into and into the village, hundreds more small orange lights flickered like stars in the darkness. It was a wonderful sight. The sight of celebration, life and love. Byleth finally turned to face Edelgard, who who was taking in the sight the same as him, and smiled. Under the pale light of the full moon, Edelgard looked more wonderful than ever. The Emperor was panting ever so slightly as she smiled at him, the dancing and then the rush up the stairs no doubt taking a slight toll.

"My Teacher… Why have we come here?" She asked. Byleth swallowed hard.

_Tell her. Now._

"I… I just wanted to be alone with you. Before the celebration ends." Byleth said. Edelgard smiled warmly.

"Well, I can't complain about that." She said. She moved up next to Byleth and leaned against the railing of the balcony, staring down at the sight before them. Byleth joined her, and felt as if his lifeless heart finally beat for the first time as he felt her wrap herself around his arm and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"It's a wonderful sight, isn't it, My Teacher?" Edelgard said. Byleth nodded.

"A people united under one purpose. To better Fodlan. For themselves, for their families, their loved ones. You know, I've thought about that village we visited every day since we left them. Seeing how happy those children were. To see the hope on the faces of the villagers when they realised their children will receive an education, will no longer be constrained by the circumstances of their birth. You, did this Edelgard. It was your vision, your drive that brought all of these people together." Byleth said, looking down at her. Edelgard looked up at him in turn, a shaky smile on her face.

"But I never could have gotten this far without you, My Teacher. Without you, and everyone else supporting me. I just hope that I can see this through to the end. That I can be a leader worthy of the people of Fodlan." Edelgard said, her grip on his arm tightening.

"Whatever comes to pass. I'll be there with you, Edelgard. I swear it." Byleth said. Edelgard's smile widened as her cheeks started to burn red.

"I… I was wondering, My Teacher. If… If you'd like to call me, El." Edelgard said.

"El?" Byleth asked. Edelgard nodded.

"Yes… It was what my closest sisters and my father used to call me… But now there's no one left who calls me El. I'd like it if… No… I want you to call me it from now on. If that's okay." Edelgard said. Byleth nodded.

"Alright… El…" Byleth said. Edelgard's bashful smile made his breath catch in his throat.

_Now._

"El…" Byleth said again.

"I've got something to tell you." Byleth said. Edelgard looked at him in surprise. Once again, he noted the smallest trace of worry on her features. Every time he'd asked her to talk, or stated his intention to tell her something… She always seemed to have that same fear. That he was going to tell her something that would be painful.

"A-alright, My Teacher… What is it?" Edelgard asked. Byleth took a deep breath. Why… Why hadn't he prepared what he was going to say?

_Don't think. Just speak._

Byleth exhaled sharply, untangling himself from Edelgard's arms and turning to face her directly.

"You… You said you went to sleep each night missing me. You woke up missing me. You painted the portrait, because you missed me… Right?" Byleth asked. Edelgard nodded.

"You kept me in your thoughts for five long years. As I kept you in mine." Byleth said.

"My Teacher…?" Edelgard whispered.

"I told you that I dreamed in those five years. Of people. Of memories. What I didn't tell you, was that there was one thing… One person, I dreamt of above all." Byleth said. He brought his hands up, placing them on Edelgard's shoulders. The Emperor didn't speak. Her mouth had fallen open and she looked at him in disbelief.

"It was you, Edelgard. More than anyone, or anything, I dreamt of you. Every night we ever walked the grounds together, every quiet moment where we shared a memory, a hope, a dream. Every tea we had together, every battle we fought together. And it was the thought of coming back to you that woke me from that long slumber. In that swirling, black abyss I was in… It was reaching for your hand that pulled me out of it. I came back from death itself to return to you, Edelgard." Byleth said, the words simply pouring out. Edelgard looked like she had forgotten to breathe.

"My… Teacher… What are you saying?" Edelgard asked. Byleth gave a nervous smile.

"El… I'm saying I love you. I didn't understand what it meant to be in love before I met you. I didn't think I ever would have without you. I lived life as a dead man. I had no dreams. No passion. No hopes, no purpose. I had no love. But you've given me that, Edelgard. You've given me all of that. Your dreams are now my dreams. Your hopes are now my hopes. And in return… I can only give you my love." Byleth said. He inhaled sharply and let out a shaky breath.

"I love you, El. With all that I am." He finished. Edelgard stared at him in shocked silence. Byleth felt a knot in his stomach, that his worst fears had come true. The knot came undone in an instant as he saw her lips pull into a wonderful, heart fluttering smile.

"You said it… You really said it…" Edelgard began, her voice barely above a whisper.

"My Teacher… For so long I've longed to tell you of my own love. For so very long you have been all I needed. It didn't matter what odds I faced, or how many enemies I amassed, when you chose me in the Holy Tomb I knew I would overcome them all, so long as I had you by my side." Edelgard said. She stepped forward, placing her hands on Byleth's chest and leaning close.

"But despite all that, I feared my love would be unrequited… That you'd never feel the same but… To hear that you have held me in your heart too… Those are the sweetest words I've ever heard." Edelgard moved her hands up his chest and wrapped them around his neck, pulling him tighter.

"My Teacher… My darling… I need you. And I love you, too. I… It honestly feels like I've always loved you." Edelgard said. Byleth smiled in return.

"Like we were destined to meet. Destined to be together." Byleth said.

"Yes… And when this war is over and we've united Fodlan, we will crush Those Who Slither in the Dark. And when our work is done, and we've made this land fairer and more just for all… I will hand over the reigns of the Empire. Then… It will just by the two of us, my love. Free to live our lives together however we see fit." Edelgard said. Byleth wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her body tight against his. They locked eyes for a long time. He knew what you were meant to do now, and he wanted to, but he had no idea how to-

He felt Edelgard's lips brush his, gently at first, then more forceful. He pushed aside all other thoughts and worries and kissed her back, imitating her movements. As they parted, the two were breathless, and Byleth was briefly worried he'd been squeezing her against him too tightly. Edelgard gave him a shy smile.

"It was as wonderful as I imagined…" Edelgard breathed. Byleth gave her a small smile.

"You imagined it?" Byleth asked. Edelgard briefly looked stunned, but instead of sputtering in embarrassment, she simply gave a large smile.

"Far longer than I'm comfortable admitting." She said. She looked at the floor briefly, then glanced back up at him.

"My Beloved… We should return to the festivities soon. I dread to think what rumours will spread if we are away for too long." Edelgard said. Byleth broke their embrace, and leaned once again on the balcony, looking again at the bonfires below.

"I think we can have a few more moments." Byleth said. Edelgard came to lean against him.

"Hm… Yes… That does sound acceptable." Edelgard said. As Byleth stared out to the land below, he didn't notice that Edelgard didn't join him. She looked only at him. As she always had. As she always would. As Byleth finally turned to leave, Edelgard grabbed him and pulled him once more into another kiss.

* * *

In the darkened halls of the castle of Fhirdiad, the Tempest King walked alone. His solitary footsteps echoed loud through the empty corridor, as he approached the room that waited at the end. Deep down, he despised these visits. He hated seeing what she had become. Even from here, the shrill laughter and garbled, maddened speech reached his ears.

He finally reached the door, and raised a hand to knock, stopping himself as he heard the faint sounds of giggling once again echoing from beyond. He winced, and forced himself onwards.

_Thump thump._

"Lady Rhea." He called. No answer. He still heard the sound of manic, quick speech behind the door.

"Lady Rhea. Let me in. We need to discuss our plans going forward." He called. Still no answer. He felt anger broil inside him. She'd been like this ever since the reports came in that _he_ was back. Byleth. He briefly considered kicking the door down, before he heard the turn of a lock and it swung open. Rhea stood there, making an attempt of seeming dignified. But Dimitri knew better.

Her hair was frayed, there were black bags under her eyes. Her cheeks looked gaunt. Peering behind her, he saw an empty room.

"Lady Rhea-"

"Seiros." She said.

"What?" He asked.

"Seiros. I… I am Seiros now. I am Seiros again…" Rhea said. Dimitri regarded her quietly for a moment, not knowing how to react. He decided it was simply better to go along with it.

"Alright… Lady Seiros. We need to discuss our next move. You know the Alliance has fallen and joined the Empire. They'll be coming for us next… _She'll _be coming for us next." Dimitri spat.

"And he'll be with them… Right?" Rhea… Seiros… Asked. Dimitri nodded.

"Yes. He will be." Dimitri said. Seiros smiled dimly.

"Then I can get her back… I'll get her back…" Seiros mumbled.

"Lady Seiros, please, we need to discuss-" Dimitri began, but he knew it was too late. Seiros, Rhea, whatever she called herself, walked back into her room and slammed the door. Dimitri turned on his heel, and stalked away back down the empty hall, once again the only sounds being his heavy footfalls and the echoing laughter of the Archbishop.

_Damn you Edelgard. How many lives will you ruin… _

"Don't worry, Lady Rhea. I'll get justice for you, too. For everyone who's died because of her. When I give you her head, I pray you will find peace once again." He muttered.

He would return to the war room without Rhea's input. But it didn't matter. He had a war to plan.

* * *

_Author's note:_

_A support and S support merged?! No proposal?! Honestly this wasn't the original plan, but it just kinda worked out like this I guess. Don't worry, there will be a proposal coming. __Originally__ I'd intended for their S-support equivalent scene to stick far more to the original script, but I thought the idea of Byleth finally getting a big confession more fitting, given how much the story has built up him finally telling her._

_On that note, I wanted to talk about the S-support itself. I won't go into full, heavy details, but the translation seen within the S-support is a bit... wonky. And so I changed some dialogue here to reflect the original Japanese more accurately._

_Basically, in the original Japanese, it was actually FAR more romantic. In the infamous "Dear Friend" moment, the word Edelgard actually used there was "Anata." Which has quite a few meanings depending on the context, but it is very often used between romantic partners, basically meaning "Darling" or "beloved" or some such. The context Edelgard used it in was definitely the romantic one. The same goes for the word "feelings." In the original Japanese, the word is an ambiguous one, but again, since the language is so context sensitive, the context Edelgard was using for it here was "love." Basically go re-watch the S-support, replace every time she says the word "feelings" with "love" and it's a far more accurate translation. Same goes for the "we are now partners and equals," with the original Japanese basically her being "we are now partners(spouses)" again, a specifically romantic connotation. To end this, the actual epilogue they get together explicitly refers to them as a married couple that had many moments of quiet romance together in their lives._

_So basically, the translation is a bit borked. I played with some dialogue here on El's side to try and capture more of the original feel. As a big write up I read on this explained, the more ambiguous yet romantic nature of El's confession was VERY romantic in Japanese, bringing to mind the idea of old time courting and wooing with flowery words and poetry, as she tried to up the intensity of the love she was conveying in each consecutive sentence. That, however... Just didn't translate too well into English, which is why it's so weird. It's also why the other S-supports get the straight up "I love yous" as they were far more forward with their love and it was easier to translate, as opposed to El trying to get all super romantic and flowery._

_Anyway, I hope you enjoyed that random tangent, if you go looking you'll find faaar more in-depth explanations out there about the S-supports translation. So, thank you for reading and have a great day!_


	9. Support

_Author's Note:_

_Although this chapter took a while to get out, I'm surprised I managed it when I did, honestly. The new schedule has been crushing me, but I was determined to get this out before I head out of town for a bit this coming Friday, then I have family visiting not too long after that._

_I want to say, thank you for the wonderful reviews on the last chapter. Your messages of support and appreciation really means more to me than I can accurately convey here. Really, truly, thank you. I try not to talk about myself too much in these notes, cause people are here for the sweet, sweet Byleth x Edelgard stuff after all, but knowing that what I write here can make even a few people happy is just incredibly meaningful to me. _

_So, once again, thank you all you readers, and I hope you look forward to what's to come._

* * *

Byleth stared at the large satchel on sitting on his bed, scratching his chin thoughtfully. He'd packed a few sets of clothes, not that he owned many, along with other assortments he'd deemed necessary. From what El had told him, they wouldn't be gone long, but life as a mercenary, as a professor, and now as a general, had taught him that you don't go into any situation unprepared, be it a pitched battle or a lecture hall. As Byleth gave another pass of his personal drawer, his eyes focused onto a small box. For the fifth time now, he repeated the same process. Wondering wherever he should bring his Mother's wedding ring. Byleth reached his hand out, hesitating, before once again closing the drawer.

_No… I should wait for a better occasion. Right? Father, how I do wish you'd told me more about these matters._

Byleth scratched his head and sat down on the bed, going over the events of the past few days. He had confessed his love to El and, against his wildest dreams, she returned his feelings. They returned to the festivities after, but trying to hide and play down their newly acquired intimacy proved to be… tricky. Their absence had definitely been noted, too. Dorothea, ever perceptive, was grinning wildly at them when they tried to sneak back onto the dance floor, and kept making probing comments the rest of the night. If it was just him trying to deflect it, he'd have no doubt that Dorothea would have gotten it out of him, but fortunately, if you could call it that Byleth thought to himself in dark amusement, El was particularly skilled at deceiving people when she needed too, and was able to keep their new relationship a secret.

And so it continued for the last several days. The two would meet as usual, sometimes for breakfast, always for tea, attending the same meetings and working together on whatever matters necessitated their attention, whilst stealing quiet, intimate moments together whenever they were fully convinced there were no prying eyes. The usual routine didn't last long, however, as early yesterday morning Edelgard had approached Byleth about joining her for a trip to Enbarr.

"_We've won the biggest victory in the war yet by taking the Alliance territories back into the Empire. The end is in sight, we can see that, but there are many back in Adrestian territories who need convincing of that. War is a costly affair, in coin, resources… And other things. To ensure their continued support, and possibly earn more of it if they feel they can hasten an end to all of this, I'm going to go there personally and address the matter. As my most trusted General, the lynchpin of our victories, and the man who defeated the Alliance leader, Claude, in single combat, I want you there to lend extra strength to my words." _

Byleth had, of course, accepted, and the rest of that day was spent getting their affairs in order. Ferdinand was made acting Commander in Edelgard's absence (though only after Hubert declined the offer, saying that there were far too many affairs he was uniquely qualified to deal with to take on more responsibilities) and Edelgard had all but disappeared after that, telling Byleth to meet her with the rest of the convoy by the gates of the Monastery the next morning.

It was when he was packing his things that Byleth had come across the ring, and had been stuck in this loop of going to take it, leaving it, then stewing over it. If he was honest with himself, the entire prospect worried him. He believed El when she had confessed her love to him, but he was keenly aware of her position and what was "expected" in Fodlan. Byleth had no titles, no land, no resources to give. He didn't doubt for a second that El, who was willing to plunge Fodlan into war because she couldn't accept the "traditional" way of things, wouldn't let that stop her… But it might also rob her of an important bargaining chip if she announced herself as betrothed.

Byleth once again found himself wishing Sothis was still around, as he often did in these lonely moments. There was no one he felt he could consult on this matter. Dorothea would instantly catch on, as would Hubert. Caspar and Linhardt likely wouldn't have anything to say on the matter… Petra and Ferdinand had potential, especially Ferdinand. He was incredibly knowledgeable of internal affairs of the Empire, and he had no doubt that he'd be able to sell it as just an idol inquiry about their Emperor and her current situation…

Besides, they were going to Enbarr to aid the war effort, not to relax and have time together. Edelgard had promised they'd get some alone time before they had to come back to the Monastery, but it was still no time to be proposing.

Swearing to himself he'd approach Ferdinand about the matter, Byleth tied up his satchel and made for the gates of Garreg Mach. They had a long trip ahead of them.

* * *

Two days passed by without incident, and at their current pace, it would likely be three more days until they arrived at Enbarr. The escort that came with them was relatively small, but comprised of the most elite of Edelgard's personal guard, along with a few chosen diplomats, cooks, workers and the like. Given that they weren't passing through enemy territory, Edelgard felt safe with a force this size. For the first day, and most of this day, Edelgard and Byleth had ridden inside one of the three carriages that accompanied the convoy, at Ladislava's insistence.

"_We can't risk you being spotted leaving the Monastery, Your Majesty. I must insist."_ She had said, or something along those lines, to Byleth's recollection. But now, confident that they were a good distance away from the Monastery, and what he was sure was her disdain for being cooped up in confined places, he and Edelgard now rode their horses at the front of the column, chatting idly. As their conversation turned to comfortable silence, Byleth took a moment to study Edelgard. She wasn't wearing her crown, and her hair was flowing freely. Neither did she wear the intimidating red cloak and dress that she took to the battlefield, opting for a more simple, warm jacket. She was staring at the sky, a gentle smile on her face, no doubt enjoying the rays of the sun and the cool breeze. As if sensing him staring, Edelgard's eyes flicked toward him.

"Is something the matter, My Teacher?" Edelgard asked. Byleth shook his head.

"It's nice to see you relaxed. I don't think we've ridden together like this without it being us heading off to or coming from a battle since… the last time we came to Enbarr. And even then you were on edge." Byleth said. Edelgard nodded.

"That's because I knew that the point of no return was approaching… But enough about that. You are right, I am relaxed. I do so seldom get to enjoy being out in nature anymore. I can't even remember the last time I got to do it by myself without a small army of guards around me." Edelgard sighed, before continuing.

"A mostly inconsequential, but ultimately frustrating part of being the Emperor. You lose so many small freedoms such as that." Edelgard said wistfully.

"Have you spent much time out in nature?" Byleth asked.

"When I was younger, my father used to allow me and my siblings to go out into the woods… with an escort, of course. We'd have hunting trips up into the mountains sometimes, but I was too young to hunt… Not that I ever saw much appeal in it. And after… After the experiments, Arundel kept me on too tight a leash. In all those years I think I managed to get out and explore twice, but never without Arundel having his people keeping me watched." Edelgard's eyes seemed to drift out of focus as she recalled the memories, but she quickly refocused herself.

"How about you, My Teacher? I know you travelled the land a lot, but travelling by road and camping out here and there is quite a bit different to delving deep into the wilds, no?" Edelgard asked. Byleth leaned back in the saddle, thinking about it.

"When I was a kid, my father would take me exploring up into the mountains when he wasn't on a job." Byleth began.

"That sounds nice, did you enjoy it?" Edelgard asked. Byleth gave a hesitant shrug.

"I didn't really… Enjoy anything as a kid. We went up… Father would talk to me… And that was it. Even though he couldn't tell if I liked it or not, he would still take me, though. Same as everything else we did together. He knew I wasn't "right" but he didn't want to use that as an excuse to not do "kid things" with me, I suppose…" Byleth mused.

"Jeralt was a great man, My Teacher." Edelgard said. Byleth nodded.

"It can't have been easy. Raising a kid that didn't react to… anything. Even when I started to fight and kill people. I had the same reaction to the first person I killed as I did to looking at the trees up in the mountains with my father… Nothing." Byleth said. Before he even had a chance to begin brooding on this, Edelgard spoke up.

"You are not that person anymore, My Teacher. You know that. And it wasn't your fault in the first place." Edelgard said. Byleth looked at her, smiling softly.

"No. I'm not that person anymore." Byleth said, returning the smile as he locked eyes with her. They regarded each other quietly for a moment, before Byleth continued the conversation.

"Other than that, we had a few jobs where bandits were based deep in mountain ranges, where we had to hike for a day or so to get to them. Even then I wouldn't call it "exploring." We were wary for traps and scouts and the like." Byleth said. Edelgard nodded, suddenly looking determined. She briefly glanced behind her, as if she was looking to see if they were being listened to, then turned back to Byleth.

"When this war is over, and we've brought peace to Fodlan, we'll set aside time to see the beauty of this land, My Love. Just the two of us." Edelgard said. Byleth smiled warmly at the thought.

"I look forward to it, El." Byleth replied.

* * *

Three more days passed without incident, and the small convoy finally arrived at Enbarr. As they were escorted through the gates by the city guard, they were met by a throng of commoners lining the streets, waiting to greet their Emperor. As they were days before, Edelgard and Byleth rode at the front of the convoy, with Edelgard waving at the crowd and acknowledging the cheers. Byleth, for his part, watched quietly, completely out of his element. Thankfully, he didn't have to fret for long, as it was only a short ride to the Imperial Palace, where they entered through the large gates that were then sealed behind them, separating them from the main city and the noise of it. As they climbed down from their horses, Edelgard approached Byleth with an apologetic smile.

"Forgive me, My Teacher. I should've warned you that would happen." She said. Byleth nodded, still in a bit of a daze.

"So many people…" He muttered. Edelgard laughed lightly at his response, placing a reassuring hand on his arm.

"It can be hard to address a crowd from a position of authority. In many ways, it feels contradictory. I truly believe we are all equal, yet I look down on them from upon my horse, waving at them and accepting their praise as if they're fortunate to even see me…" Edelgard said, trailing off. Her brow furrowed in that familiar way it did when she began to ruminate on her cause, which caused Byleth to smile.

"Don't think about it too much, Edelgard. The systems won't change over night, that's what you told me, right? And right now, this sort of thing is expected of a leader." Byleth said. Edelgard looked hesitant for a moment, then nodded.

"You're right, My Teacher." She said, then turning to see that the diplomats that had accompanied them were now out of the carriages and ready to go.

"Come. We've got a long day ahead of us." She said. Byleth nodded with resignation, and joined her as she entered the palace.

The small group of diplomats followed Edelgard through the entrance hall and up a particularly grand staircase that was carpeted with a deep red silk trimmed with gold. As they reached the next floor, it was another short walk down a corridor, past suits of armour and paintings of people Byleth didn't recognise. As they got to the end of the corridor, Edelgard opened the door and led the small contingent in.

The room was spacious, with a large, rectangular table at the center, not too dissimilar to the one they used back at the Monastery for the war councils, but far more ornate. At the edge of the room were various couches, smaller circle tables and the like. The room itself was mostly empty, save for an old man who struck Byleth as a butler, and two young women next to him. They bowed deeply as the group entered.

"Welcome Your Majesty. Esteemed guests." The old man said.

"It is good to see you, Luitpold." Edelgard said, smiling in return. Luitpold approached Edelgard until he was close enough to reach out and touch her, then turned and gestured to the room.

"Is everything to your standards, Your Majesty?" Luitpold asked.

"I'll give you my answer after an inspection, Luitpold, but yes, it seems to be in order." She said. Luitpold, and, Byleth noticed, the women who were behind him, all smiled in relief. As if sensing his confusion, Edelgard turned to Byleth and gave a small smile.

"This is where I'll be meeting the dignitaries from across the Empire. I want to make sure the room was ready to go before we began. We won't be meeting for a few hours yet, but it's best to do these things early." Edelgard said. Byleth nodded.

"Do you want me to help inspect it…?" Byleth asked, not sure what he should be doing in this situation. Edelgard shook her head.

"No, My Teacher, I have something else planned for you. Luitpold? This is the General from the letter." Edelgard said. Luitpold inspected Byleth and nodded.

"Ah yes! Very good! Of course, I'd recognise the man from appearance alone, given the stories about him! Now, good sir, come along with me, if it pleases you!" Luitpold said, moving with a speed and enthusiasm that belied his elder appearance. Byleth looked at Edelgard, confusion still clear on his face. The Emperor just smiled.

"Luitpold will take care of you, My Teacher. He'd the head butler here at the castle, and is a man of many talents. We'll be done by evening's end. Good luck on your end, professor. I believe in you." Edelgard said. Byleth took a steadying breath and nodded. He waved goodbye and left, following Luitpold. They walked for what felt like a good quarter of an hour through the winding halls of the castle, climbing staircase after staircase, walking through halls that seemed so identical to Byleth he couldn't even begin to conceive how the elderly man was moving so confidently through them. They finally arrived at their destination, entering into what Byleth surmised was some sort of dressing room. Looking at Luitpold, Byleth finally spoke.

"Am I here to change my clothes?" Byleth asked. Luitpold nodded.

"Yes, yes, quite right. What you're wearing now simply won't do." Luitpold said. Byleth looked down at his tried and true armour. It was… Worse for wear, he had to admit. As little as he knew about diplomacy, even he could tell this wouldn't cut it. Byleth looked around the room, trying to spot where the clothes might be hiding.

"So… Should we get looking for something that fits?" Byleth asked. Luitpold tutted and shook his finger.

"Oh no no no, good sir. For a General of the Empire to simply walk in and grab something from the shelf?! Unacceptable! And not just any General either! To think that the wonderful piece of work made all those years ago will finally meet with its intended owner! Why, when the Emperor sent me that letter last moon telling me that its rightful owner was finally ready to claim it, I near danced with joy!" Luitpold said, continuing to surprise Byleth with his… enthusiasm.

"I'm not sure I'm following, Luitpold." Byleth said. Before the old man had a chance to explain, a group of well dressed young men entered, carrying an assortment of packages with such care that it seemed they were afraid that dropping it meant the end of their lives. Judging by the sheer intensity of the stare that Luitpold gave to them as they entered… That might be the case.

"Yes, put it over there, gentlemen! Careful now!" He said. As the packages were placed, Luitpold immediately walked over to them, and began slowly, carefully, unwrapping them.

"Please, good sir, avert your eyes until the unpacking is done! Such a wondrous thing should be viewed in its entirety, all at once!" Luitpold decreed. Byleth, unsure as to wherever this was normal behaviour, simply played along.

When he was done, Luitpold gave permission for Byleth to turn around. As he did, his breath caught in his throat.

It was armour, in a strikingly similar design to his own. But instead of the stark black, it was a deep shade of red with golden trim and black accents. The gauntlets and grieves were noticeably more armoured, too. On the chestpiece, there were ornate shoulder pads, similar to the ones Edelgard wore, and instead of a symbol on the chest, there was more plate padding. Moving behind to inspect the flowing cape, the material also a deep shade of red rather than black, Byleth saw that emblazoned on the back was the proud, double headed eagle, symbol of the Adrestian Empire. Byleth stared in silence, trying to understand what he was seeing. He finally looked at Luitpold, who was beaming at him.

"Ah, he is at a loss for words! Wonderful! Simply marvelous!" The man proclaimed. Byleth nodded slightly.

"I… It looks like my armour." Byleth said. Luitpold nodded.

"You have a keen eye, my good sir! Yes, it was designed to those exact specifications. It was, after all, a custom order, one that I am so glad its rightful owner finally gets to wear." Luitpold said. Byleth approached it, running a finger cautiously over a gauntlet.

"You said this was made years ago?" Byleth asked.

"Yes, about five years ago, if I do remember correctly. It was a custom order from the Emperor herself." Luitpold said. Byleth stared silently at the armour piece, everything suddenly clicking into place. He simultaneously felt an unspeakable stab of guilt and sadness, along with an overwhelming sense of affection and love. Between the moment where Byleth sided with Edelgard in the Holy Tomb, and their siege of Garreg Mach where he went missing, they spent a few weeks preparing. Byleth surmised that Edelgard had sent the letter for this suit to be designed for him within those weeks, likely intending for Byleth to wear it as they fought the war together.

But he never got that chance.

Byleth placed a hand on the breastplate, smiling shakily.

"Luitpold." Byleth said.

"Yes, my good sir?" Luitpold asked. Byleth turned to him, his smile still wavering.

"Would you help me into it?" Byleth asked. Luitpold gave him a gentle, affectionate smile.

"It would be the greatest of honours, my good sir."

* * *

The next few hours passed in a strange blur for Byleth. His hesitation over his ability to appease the other Nobles on the matters of the war were quickly replaced by a fiery determination to live up to Edelgard's trust. That determination wavered only slightly as he was informed that Edelgard was stuck in her own meetings and wouldn't be accompanying Byleth as he made his own addresses, but he pushed on nevertheless, the new outfit he wore emboldening him.

By the time he was done, he felt like he'd talked so much that his jaw ached and he was getting sick of his own voice. One of the diplomats that came along with them had been sitting in on the meetings, and has assured Byleth after they were done that he did fine and the people seemed satisfied. Byleth dearly hoped this wasn't just more diplomacy out of the man. As Byleth finally left the room, waiting for all other attendees to leave first, he was met by Luitpold, who was smiling proudly.

"Good work today, good sir. Her Majesty will be most pleased!" He said. Byleth nodded wearily.

"Where is she? Uh, that is, where is Her Majesty right now?" Byleth asked.

"Unfortunately, Her Majesty's own meetings are taking longer than expected. But she did request that I relay a message to you, good sir." Luitpold said. Byleth nodded.

"Let's hear it." Byleth said.

"Her Majesty has asked that you await her by the centre fountain of the Imperial Garden, where she will arrive as soon as she can." Luitpold said. Byleth nodded and went to ask Luitpold if he could escort him, before, not to his surprise, the old man spoke.

"I was also asked by Her Majesty to escort the good sir to the Imperial Gardens and the particular fountain. Are you ready, good sir?" Luitpold asked. Byleth nodded, and followed the elderly man through yet another maze of endless corridors.

* * *

Byleth sat on one of the many benches that circled the ornate, stone carved fountain. The garden was empty, either by Edelgard's decree, or the fact that the sun was beginning to set in the distance, and all Byleth could hear was the sound of the wind and the trickle of water shooting out of the fountain's ornaments. He hadn't been tracking how long he'd been here. Patience was one of his greatest virtues, he'd always thought, but… In spite of that he really wanted to see El.

He was snapped out of reverie by the sound of approaching footsteps that he instantly knew to be Edelgard's. He stood up straight and ready, anxious to see her reaction to him finally wearing the armour.

As she came around the corner, he instantly noticed the wicker basket full of flowers that she carried, as well as how tired she looked, a look that vanished the moment she saw him.

"My Teacher… You're wearing it." She said, clasping her hands in-front of her chest. Byleth gave an awkward smile.

"I… Does it look good?" He asked. Edelgard didn't answer, opting to simply take the sight of him in. After a few moments, she rushed forward, throwing her arms around Byleth and kissing him. Somewhere at the back of his mind, Byleth was aware of the possibility of them being caught, but it was utterly drowned out by the… all the other things. When they finally broke the kiss, Edelgard was smiling warmly at him, her cheeks burning red. She kept her arms wrapped around him.

"I got a briefing from one of the diplomats on the way here. Apparently you handled yourself superbly, My Beloved. Though apparently your stoic exterior did ruffle a few feathers, these people are never satisfied unless they have a good grumble about something." Edelgard said. Byleth laughed lightly and kissed her forehead gently.

"El… Thank you for this armour. It's wonderful. And I'm… I'm sorry it took so long to get it to me." Byleth said. Edelgard shook her head.

"You have it now, My Love. That's all that matters." Edelgard said. They enjoyed the silence for a moment, before Edelgard finally took Byleth's arm and began to walk through the gardens.

"How did things go on your end, El?" Byleth asked.

"Well enough. They're happy, for now, and will be sending the requested supplies. There was the usual attempts at political maneuvering, demands of higher rewards than the others, offers of suitors, the usual." Edelgard sighed. Byleth flinched slightly at the mention of suitors, but didn't push the matter. He had a feeling this conversation would be a lot different if she had even entertained the idea of one.

"That's good news. We can proceed with the march on the Kingdom as planned, then." Byleth said. Edelgard nodded in agreement. They walked around the gardens for a time, the setting sun in the distance providing a beautiful cascade of light on the flowers and hedges growing here. Byleth thought they were wandering randomly at first, until Edelgard led him into a small, immaculately kept grove, completely separated from the rest of the garden by a small tunnel and walls built around it, and froze at the sight before him.

"My Love… There was another reason I wanted you to come with me tonight. There were people that I wanted you to meet." Edelgard said quietly. Sadly. Byleth glanced at her, then once again at the wicker basket full of flowers. Before him, flanked by beautiful trees and an assortment of flowers, was what Byleth knew to be a grave. He nodded solemnly.

"I would be honoured to meet them, El." Byleth said. Edelgard smiled at him, unwrapping her arm from around his and approaching the grave. The stone slab was huge, taller and a half than himself, and twice as wide. There were carvings on the slab wishing peace, comfort and rest to those housed within, and a list of names at the bottom. Around the foot of the grave was an assortment of fresh flowers.

"This is where my siblings and father are buried." Edelgard said. Byleth nodded in understanding, kneeling down alongside the grave as Edelgard did. She set the basket down and slowly began to lay them out upon the grave. She gave him a brief look and Byleth understood she wanted him to help her. They spent the next minute in silence as they arranged the flowers, Byleth mirroring Edelgard's arrangements on his own side. When they were done, she set the wicker basket aside and stood up. Byleth stood beside her and took her hand in his. They stayed in silence once more. Byleth knew her well enough now, when she wanted to talk, she would talk.

Edelgard took a step forward, and spoke slowly. "Father… Everyone… I'm so close. I'm so close to achieving my dream now. Soon, no one will ever again have to suffer such terrible fates as all of you did. Not a single one of you will be lost in vain. Those who made you suffer so much… Those who made the entire system in the first place… And those who continue to benefit from it. I'll cast them all down, and remake Fodlan into a kinder, fairer land. One of peace… and kindness… togetherness. I won't fail. With the Professor, and everyone else standing by me, I can't fail. This, I swear." Edelgard said, hands crossed over her chest. She stayed there in silence for several minutes, deep in thought, before moving to stand next to Byleth. She took Byleth's hand once more and spoke.

"I… I wish you could've met them… _really_ met them." Edelgard said. Her hand squeezed tightly on his own.

"They would've loved you so much. And they'd be so happy that I found someone like you, too." Edelgard said.

"Tell me about them, El." Byleth said. Edelgard looked up at him with her melancholic eyes and nodded. The two of them sat back down at the grave as Edelgard began to tell him stories. She'd briefly mentioned stories about her siblings in passing before, but Byleth could always tell she was never ready to talk about them in detail. Tonight, it was different. Edelgard spoke about each sibling in turn. The older sister who gave her the hair ribbons she wore in her academy days, the eldest brother who got her interested in using the axe, the younger siblings whose hair she would style and play with. Memorable birthdays, memorable trips. The sun had long set and the moon was high in the sky by the time Edelgard finally finished talking. At some point, they'd sat closer together, Byleth holding her as she recounted the happy, yet so painful memories.

"I've never talked about them like this since it happened. Not even to Hubert." Edelgard said. Byleth didn't reply, just letting her speak.

"I told you once before, My Love, that I wouldn't let their deaths, or the deaths of the other innocents that were experimented upon to be in vain. For so long I was worried that I'd never be able to keep that promise. Truly, I didn't know if the day would ever come when I could come here and tell them that all this needless suffering and pain will soon be coming to an end. I never could have made it this far without you, My Teacher. Your guidance… your support…" she placed a hand on his cheek.

"Your love." She said. He placed a hand on top of hers in turn.

"You'll always have it, El." He said. She leaned up, standing on her tiptoes, as she had to, to gently brush her lips over his.

"As you will always have mine… B-... Byleth." Edelgard said. Byleth smiled at her, and held her as she fell into his arms, gently stroking her head. She didn't cry, but she didn't have to. Byleth continued to hold her and soothe her as she clung to him, offering no solutions or words of encouragement, simply reassuring her that he'd always be there for her. That he'd never leave her side again. He'd never abandon her. She wouldn't lose him, as she lost everyone else.

After an amount of time that Byleth made no attempt to track, Edelgard untangled from him. With a solemn goodbye to her family, Edelgard took the wicker basket, and the pair left the gardens. Going their own way, Edelgard to her chamber, Byleth to his. He fell into the large, comfortable bed after reverently removing the armour, and found sleep almost instantly.

* * *

Byleth didn't know how long he had been sleeping when he heard the knock on the door. The moon was still high in the sky, with no sign of dawn in sight, however. Opening it, to his dismay, but not his surprise, Edelgard stared blankly at him. Her eyes were hollow, and her hair a disheveled mess.

"I… I saw them… In the dungeons again..." she whispered. Byleth said nothing and brought her inside. They sat on the floor, Byleth holding Edelgard as she fought off the sleep that tried to claim her, and the nightmares along with it.

Byleth could only stroke her hair and gently kiss her head as she clung to him, muttering the names of her dead siblings, repeating them as if she was calling feebly to them. At times, Edelgard couldn't fight it anymore, and sleep would claim her, only for a moment, before the nightmares wracked her again.

By the time the sun rose over the distant mountains, the two still sat together, utterly exhausted. Knowing that they couldn't be caught like this, the pair reluctantly parted as Edelgard returned to her chambers to prepare for the long day ahead. Bracing himself, Byleth closed the door and did the same.


	10. Initiative

_Author's Note: I was going to apologise for the delay, but at this point each chapter is just about 20 days apart so I wonder if it's even a delay anymore? Anyway, IRL is keeping me crazy busy, but I managed to get this chapter done before I'm out of town for another week. _

_Also, this is the 10th chapter, so that's a milestone I guess! I honestly can't really make a prediction on how close to the end we are, because whilst I have a general outline, the chapters tend to grow on their own. In my original draft, this chapter and the previous one were basically meant to be one chapter, but now combined they're near 12k+ words. This chapter alone was actually meant to include more than it did but then next thing you know you're on 6k+._

_Anyway, sorry for the rambling. Thank you all once again for your wonderful reviews, they really do make my week when I read them and give me the energy to keep doing my best, not just in writing this story but my daily on-goings. Also thank you so much to Nitewind for the recommendation over on TvTropes! I'll admit, I was checking over there now and then to see if it would ever be added. I'd always hoped my previous works would one day be added on the TvTropes recommended list, so this is weirdly fulfilling for me! _

_So please enjoy the chapter and I hope you all have a nice day._

* * *

Byleth stood beside Edelgard as she addressed the room, his hands folded tightly behind his back and the Sword of the Creator put on clear display for all to see. He had never cowed before anyone before, but he truly did feel like he stood straighter and taller than ever wearing the armour that Edelgard had made for him.

After their sleepless night, the pair had gotten ready for their early morning meetings and met up just over an hour after they parted ways. Byleth, the ambassadors, and the gathered nobles were led into the meeting room, with Edelgard coming in shortly after them to begin the meeting. If he didn't know better, Byleth would say that Edelgard looked no different from normal. Her hair was immaculate as ever, and she kept her imposing presence. But Byleth knew her face and mannerisms well. There was a tiredness to her voice that only ever so slightly undermined the authority in it, and she wore makeup to cover the bags under her eyes. Byleth had known her to do this before, back in her academy days after she hadn't slept. Despite how little sleep she had, Edelgard still handled the meeting, and the room full of nobles, well, but even he could see that the facade was beginning to crack from the endless questioning and finger pointing.

"Your Majesty, we understand that a great victory was won at Derdriu, and that the Alliance forces are now being brought into the fold. So the question remains, why are we not using their newly recruited forces as the vanguard force in our battles? Our forces are already thin enough after five years of war, and no small part of that is precisely BECAUSE of our clashes with those in the Alliance! You _do _realise how much support they were sending in secret to the Kingdom, correct? Do you not think we should demand _severe_ reparations for these treacherous actions?" One of the Nobles spoke, earning approving nods from some of the others, along with a few disapproving head shakes.

"Whilst we may have brought the Alliance territories back into the fold through conquest, I do not intend to pillage their land and their supplies. Nor do I intend to treat their people, or their soldiers, as beneath those from Adrestian territories. They will join our armies as members of the Adrestian Empire, and all that entails, not as thralls of war. I have no intention of jeopardising the process of fully bringing them into the fold by giving the Nobles there who see us as conquering tyrants even more reason to rally banners against us." Edelgard said. There was heated murmuring in the room, before another noble, a lady that Byleth thought had to be pushing sixty summers, spoke up.

"Your Majesty, all within this room are dedicated to the eventual victory of the Empire in this conflict. Is that not so?" She asked. All in the room nodded in agreement, though those who seemed to staunchly support Edelgard's position nodded hesitantly, as if sensing some sort of trap coming. Edelgard, too, seemed to notice this, as her posture stiffened.

"And we all want to see our proud sons and daughters return home in victory, to be able to enjoy the fruits of the new Fodlan that you will create." She continued, pausing for more murmurs.

"But I must ask, Your Majesty, are you sure you can win this war with our forces as they are now? I know you intend to bring Alliance forces into the fold, but I simply don't think it's enough. All here would agree that the soldiers of the Alliance are of… lesser skill, than those found within our own forces, and even those of the Kingdom and the Knights of Seiros, is that not correct?" She asked. The nods from others varied from proud to reluctant. Byleth didn't move himself, but he did agree with her statement. The rank and file of the Alliance soldiers left… much to be desired.

"When the time comes to march on Faerghus, do you not think we will need our most elite troops, the soldiers of the Empire, to make that final push into the capital, to overthrow the Archbishop and that King once and for all? Yes, it may seem cold… callous, even, to force the Alliance soldiers to the van and have them weaken the enemy, but can we really afford any more losses to our own troops and still win this war? What if the Nobles of the Alliance are simply biding their time until we've exhausted ourselves against the Kingdom, then will strike when we are away and weakened?" She finished, folding her arms and adjusting her spectacles. Byleth glanced at Edelgard. Whilst her face seemed calm and collected, Byleth could see a small trace of frustration on her brow.

"Lady Huss, I understand your concerns, but our forces are more than equipped to deal with the coming battles with the forces currently requested from the Alliance. We have the strength, the will, and the means to see this war through without needing to stoke the flames of mistrust amongst those so recently brought back into the fold. If you fear they intend to stab a dagger into our backs, then this course of action will only give the encouragement they need to go through with it." Edelgard said. Byleth glanced at her, and honestly, he agreed. Between the strength of those within the Black Eagle Strike Force, and the former Golden Deer students who would be joining the fold, they were the most elite fighting force in Fodlan. With the Sword of the Creator at his side, Byleth himself was pretty confident he could hold an entire flank with just a small amount of back-up if the situation called for it.

"We do not doubt the resolve of our forces, Your Majesty, but I'm afraid that the point stands. I am reluctant to commit any more of my troops, and any more of my funds, if we have to fear potential treachery from those… upstart merchants. With my own territory being so close to the border we share with them, I fear for the safety of my family if I send away more soldiers. We also don't have sufficient proof that your soldiers will be enough to win this war as they are." Lady Huss said. Byleth frowned and glanced at Edelgard. The Emperor took a deep breath and gave a small glance at Byleth. Byleth went to speak up, to tell Lady Huss that her doubt her their abilities is honestly insulting, that the students he trained, and his own power, could easily overcome-... But he didn't. This… Was not his place. He had no idea how the politics of the Empire worked, or politics at all. If he spoke up now, he might insult Lady Huss to the point she'd fully withdraw her troops, and it might not end with her. Byleth clenched his teeth, feeling utterly powerless. He wanted to help Edelgard, more than anything he wished he could say the right thing and ease some of the burden on her but… Was it really his place? He was a soldier. A good one, he'd admit, and a commander of high quality but…

"We're going to take a short break. We'll reconvene in half an hour. Please, help yourself to the tea and pastries in the meantime." Edelgard said. She rose and turned to leave through the side door, into a smaller, private chamber. Byleth rose to join her but something about her told him she wanted to be alone with her thoughts, especially as she closed the door behind her. Byleth clenched his teeth harder and looked out over those gathered in the meeting, already whispering quietly amongst themselves. Byleth let out a short sigh and left the room out into the main corridor, walking towards where he knew there to be a balcony overlooking one of the castle's many gardens.

Byleth clenched the stone railing tightly as he arrived, cursing his own indecisiveness. It was a mistake for Edelgard to bring him, he saw that now. Hubert, Ferdinand, at this rate, even Caspar would have been a better choice, he thought.

Byleth was good at one thing. Killing, and teaching others how to kill. He stared at the plated gauntlet of his hand, emblazoned with the proud eagle of Adrestia, and wondered if he truly deserved to wear this. It wasn't just his lack of support of her… She was so exhausted. So unbelievably exhausted. Right now what she needed was rest and care, not being interrogated by that group of vultures. Byleth wanted nothing more than to just ask her to take a day off, and give her the much needed recuperation. At this rate, she was going to burn herself out. But, again, was that his place? Could Edelgard even afford to do that, what would the ramifications be? So should he just do what Hubert would do, encourage her to push on? He just didn't know enough about this to make a judgement call.

"Good morning, good sir. I have brought you a spot of tea."

Byleth turned around to see Luitpold standing behind him, holding up a saucer and a small tea cup. Byleth gave a small smile to the elderly man, and took it gladly.

"Thank you, Luitpold." Byleth said. The butler nodded, adjusting his small, circular spectacles and smiling.

"No thanks needed, my good sir. Serving a trusted advisor of our Emperor is my pleasure, not my burden." He said. Byleth gave him a half-hearted smile. Though the old man meant well, he was just digging the dagger in deeper.

"Is something the matter, good sir?" Luitpold asked. Byleth hesitated. This man was a butler, one Edelgard clearly trusted if he was the one who oversaw the delivery of the armour that meant so much to her, but… Was it safe to confide such things? He had never really confided in anyone but Edelgard before…

"I…" Byleth began. Luitpold said nothing, simply waiting.

"I don't feel like much of an advisor to her, Luitpold. I taught her how to fight well, and how to lead well in battle, and I've been there for her as a trusted ally and supporter, but… I am not sure if I can help her now. I wanted to speak up in support of her in that meeting, but I was worried about potentially jeopardizing her alliances. I've never been trained in statecraft or politics." Byleth said, taking a sip of tea. Luitpold brought a hand up and tweaked his thick grey moustache, looking thoughtful.

"Ah, yes, yes… Quite a conundrum. Politics is tricky business, no doubt. I overhear some of what is said, from time to time, when delivering refreshments, and it all sounds terribly intense, no doubt. Those Noble folk may have a wealth of coin to buy the tallest walls and finest steel, but all the treasure in their coffers can't shore up the fragility of their egos." Luitpold said, before quickly adding. "If I may be so bold to say, of course." Byleth laughed lightly.

"You may, Luitpold. Speak frankly with me, I've had enough of honied words to last a lifetime." Byleth sighed. Luitpold nodded.

"Very well, good sir. Do you trust our Emperor's judgement?" He asked. Byleth nodded.

"Yes, I do." He said.

"Then you trust that if she brought you here, that if she trusts you so deeply, that there are two possibilities. Either she has made a glaring error in judgement, or you have yet to fully realise your own value." Luitpold said. Byleth looked at him curiously, playing the words over in his mind.

"Our Emperor wants you by her side because she gets something from you that the others do not provide. Our Emperor brought you along for that very reason. Now yes, our Emperor could have brought the loyal and focused Count Vestra along, and he no doubt would have handled those Nobles in his own… unique way of doing things, likely with some "encouragement" after the meeting. But our Emperor did not do that. Indeed, our Emperor could have brought along the charming Ferdinand von Aegir, and he would have no doubt won over the attending Nobles with a speech that read like poetry, all whilst he served them the finest teas. But our Emperor did not bring Ferdinand von Aegir either! Our Emperor brought Byleth Eisner! Do not act as the others would, my good sir! For you cannot and should not! For our Emperor does not expect it and, if she wanted it, our Emperor would have brought those good sirs along instead! So the question is, good sir, what do you uniquely offer our Emperor? What can you do for her that only Byleth Eisner can?!" Luitpold said, his voice and enthusiasm raising as his speech went on, his arms motioning wildly as he spoke. Byleth found himself surprisingly moved by the speech finishing the tea and thinking deeply.

_Hubert would encourage her to push on and "deal" with the nobles..._

_Ferdinand would deliver a flowery, charming speech, soothing their egos…_

_I can't do any such things, but what I can do is simply…_

A memory came back to Byleth.

_Do you mean it? Even the thought makes me happy..._

A smile appeared on Byleth's face.

"Luitpold!" Byleth said, some of the elderly man's enthusiasm infecting him. Luitpold smiled broadly at seeing this.

"Yes good sir?" He asked.

"Send a message to the kitchens! Tell them I have a personal order to make." Byleth said. Luitpold gave a deep bow.

"It will be the greatest of pleasures, good sir!" Luitpold cried. Byleth finished the rest of his tea, handed it back to the elderly butler, and began to explain his plan in detail.

* * *

Upon returning to the meeting, Byleth quickly took his position and waited, saying nothing. He kept his face as neutral as possible, going over in his mind once more on what needed to be done. He wasn't exactly one to get nervous, but this was… different. Just like when he'd confessed his love to Edelgard, it was uncharted territory for him, with so many unknown factors. But as he'd pushed through back in the Goddess Tower, he would push through now.

All chatter in the room stopped as Edelgard re-entered. She gave a quiet nod to Byleth and returned to her seat next to him. After a few moments, she took a deep breath.

"We may continue from where we left off." Edelgard said. Two nobles on either side of Lady Huss gave her a meaningful look, moments before she began speaking again.

"Your Majesty, I hope that during the break you had time to reconsider our proposals. The point continues to stand, that we simply can't jeopardise our own elite forces simply to spare Alliance troops, and the risk of treachery is still all too real." Lady Huss said.

"Do you doubt my ability to negotiate with the leaders of the Alliance, Lady Huss?" Edelgard asked.

"Of course not, Your Majesty, I am simply worried that, in your infinitely benevolent nature, you trust those sons and daughters of merchants too much. They would sell their own mothers for a small handful of coin. And assuming we _can_ trust them, I have yet to see any guarantee that our current forces will be enough to claim victory-"

"I can guarantee it."

The elderly woman's mouth hung agape at the interruption. If it had been her Emperor who had been the source of it, she might have taken it in stride. But after not saying a word all day, no one was expecting the Emperor's stone faced general to speak up.

"Excuse me?" Lady Huss asked. Byleth glanced at Edelgard, who was looking at him with slight shock.

"Professor?" She asked. Byleth swallowed hard.

"I can guarantee it, Lady Huss." Byleth repeated.

"And how do you intend to prove such a thi- Ah!" Lady Huss gasped, along with the other nobles in the room, as Byleth drew the Sword of the Creator.

"With this. With this blade I could split mountains if I willed it. With this blade I can shatter armies by myself. With this blade, I can face down the Archbship Rhea, the King of Faerghus, and even the Goddess herself. I am the son of the famed Jeralt Eisner, the Blade Breaker. All he knew he taught to me, and I in turn, taught to my students. As I vouch for each of them being worth two-dozen soldiers in combat, do I vouch for the honour of those within the Alliance who we will entreat with. I knew many of those leaders during their times as students within the Academy. They will not betray any deal we make with them." Byleth said. Lady Huss visibly bristled.

"No one doubts the power of that blade, General Eisner, and no one doubts the skill of the late Jeralt Eisner, but how can you-" Byleth once again interrupted her.

"I have fought and defeated the Death Knight in combat. I fought Rhea myself at the Siege of Garreg Mach, and handed her defeat before she assumed her true form. I defeated Claude von Riegan as the siege of Derdriu. I have lived and breathed battle my whole life, Lady Huss, and more than that, I have a vested interest in seeing that we actually win this war for the true reasons we fight it, for Fodlan. _Not _for my _own_ personal gain." Byleth said. It was not a direct accusation, but the implication was obvious.

"If I thought that we would lose this war without the additional Alliance troops, I would speak up. It is as simple as that." Byleth said. The room was dead silent. Byleth spared a glance at Edelgard, who's brow was furrowed, her mind clearly working a mile a minute.

"But-" Lady Huss began, before being interrupted, this time by Edelgard.

"Lady Huss, you fear retaliation from the Alliance, yet the territory across the Airmid river is held by the Gloucester family, is it not? And it is the Gloucester family who is currently overseeing talks and negotiations with Count Bergliez. The Gloucester family has ever been loyal to the Empire, even in recent times. If there _were_ to be a hypothetical attack into your territory, do you not think that the Gloucester family would hear of it first and take action?" Edelgard asked. Lady Huss's mouth formed a thin line. She stayed silent for several moments, clearly trying to think of a way to turn this situation to her favour. Eventually she let our a short exhale of breath.

"You are correct, Your Majesty. It would appear that my worries were… misplaced." She said.

"Misplaced as they were, your intentions were, I am sure, pure, Lady Huss." Edelgard said. She turned to Byleth and gave him a small smile.

"Now onto the next matter." Edelgard said. There was quiet murmuring amongst those in the room, before another Noble who had mostly kept his quiet spoke up. He was clean shaven, with tightly cropped greying hair, his face kept in an almost permanent scowl.

"Well, Your Majesty, there is still the matter of you being unwed. As it stands, there are many suitors looking to take your hand, not simply from the Empire alone. We are wasting a potential powerful, strategic alliance the longer you put this off. Even the talk that you spurn any suitor is already damaging the possibility of alliances we might possibly make from either the Alliance or the Kingdom. Securing loyalty in such a way, it is simply another duty of the Emperor. You know this." He said. Byleth glanced at Edelgard, who's face had gone to stone. Byleth looked back at the Noble who had been speaking. To Byleth's ear, untrained as it was, it truly seemed that he was speaking out of concern for the Empire, not looking to further his own standing. He didn't seem to at all be suggesting any of his own sons.

Alas, it didn't matter. Byleth took a deep breath, and readied himself for the next step of the plan.

"My good sir," Byleth said, trying to mask the fact he didn't actually know the Noble's name, "And all other attendees. I'm afraid the meeting is going to have to be cut short." Byleth said. All those in attendance, and even Edelgard, were looking at him in shock.

"Cut short…?" Lady Huss asked.

"Professor?" Edelgard whispered.

"During our brief recess a letter arrived of utmost importance to not only the safety of the Adrestian Empire, but the Emperor herself. I'm afraid that, until we can take the first step towards dealing with this matter, the contents of that letter simply cannot be revealed to anyone but Her Majesty. As one of the top generals of the Empire's forces, I consider all matters of state to be inconsequential when the very safety of our Emperor is at stake. I assume all in attendance would agree with this?" Byleth asked. Each nodded in turn. Some… Reluctantly. Byleth made sure to remember their faces.

"Your Majesty…" Byleth said, turning to Edelgard.

"Please, at your will, let me escort you to safety. Your honour guard have already been called for. We can discuss the letter in private." Byleth said. Edelgard nodded. As she stood from her chair, the nobles began to speak amongst themselves in a flurry.

"General Eisner! What is the nature of this danger?" One cried.

"A-are we in danger presently? Is the capital in danger?!" Another asked. Byleth extended his hand.

"Enbarr is in no present danger. This is a long term ordeal, but one we must act on swiftly. If proper actions are taken _now_, then disaster will be averted in the future." Byleth said. This seemed to appease the nobles somewhat. Byleth placed a hand on the hilt of the Sword of the Creator, just for show, and began to walk towards the exit, Edelgard following quickly behind. As he opened the door, Alberich and Magnus were already there in full armour.

"General Eisner. Your Majesty. Come with us, please." Magnus said. Byleth glanced back, noting the shock in Edelgard's eyes, but she managed to keep her expression neutral.

"You may continue to discuss what you wish with my ambassadors, or return to your own rooms. Dinner will be served in the main hall within a few hours, so please be well until this matter is resolved." Edelgard said to the room, and followed quickly after Byleth.

They walked in silence, Magnus and Alberich leading, Byleth behind them, followed by Edelgard. She said nothing as they walked, though Byleth knew she suspected something wasn't quite right with his story. He imagined that suspicion only increased as it became increasingly obvious they were heading to her personal chambers. As they finally arrived outside the door of their destination, Byleth looked back at Edelgard. Her expression was unreadable.

"My personal chambers?" She asked, a small hint of… accusation in her voice.

"Alberich. Magnus. Thank you. I can take it from here." Byleth said. The pair bowed, and left without saying a word. Edelgard regarded Byleth quietly, allowing the exhaustion on her face to show clearly now they were alone.

"My Teacher, what is this about? I know that any such letter would have gotten to me before it got to you, so what…?" Edelgard began, slowly trailing off as Byleth opened the door to her room. The curtains were pulled far back, letting the morning sun directly hit what Byleth had ordered placed in her room.

A table with a simple white cloth thrown over it had been placed at the centre of the room, along with an assortment of empty plates stacked up on either edge. Taking up the bulk of the table itself, was an assortment of pastries, sweets and various other sugary foods, along with a large pot of tea.

"I…" Edelgard said. She'd already made it clear she suspected he was planning something. Her reaction showed it wasn't this.

"There was no letter. But my point stands. This is a matter that concerns the health of the Emperor. Of you, El." Byleth said, walking into the room and closing the door as Edelgard followed him in.

"I… Sweets and tea?" Edelgard asked, incredulous. Byleth nodded.

"You… You interrupted an important diplomatic meeting with allies who's aid we _need, _people who are looking for any chance they can get to get an advantage over me… Led them to believe there was some plot afoot endangering the very life of the Emperor… For… Tea and sweets?" Edelgard asked. Byleth looked at her simply. There wasn't even a slither of doubt in his mind about his actions.

"I did." Byleth said. Edelgard looked at him in continued shock.

"My Teacher… What-" Edelgard began.

"You're pushing yourself too hard, El. If you continue like this, handling important diplomatic meetings when you're so exhausted you're fit to collapse, then you _will_ end up giving those people the advantage they want. If we're to rebuild Fodlan after this war, we're going to need you. Your vision, your drive, your ability to hold this entire Empire together. Hubert may always encourage you to push onward, no matter what, but he is not here, and I am not Hubert. Have you forgotten one of the first lessons I taught you and the others? About "being a hero?" Byleth asked. Edelgard took a shaky breath.

"Trying to continue the fight when you're fit to drop is not bravery, it is foolishness. You'll get yourself killed, along with those who are now distracted trying to save you." Edelgard said. Byleth nodded. He didn't feel the need to explain further, he could already see the look of realisation on Edelgard's face.

"El. As one of your closest and most trusted advisors… And as someone who loves you, please. Rest. Today, with me, rest. For all our sakes. We can't do this without you. And I can't go on without you, either." Byleth said. Edelgard stayed silent for a moment, her stern, stunned face eventually cracking into disbelieving laughter.

"My Teacher… My Love. I've always known you were unconventional, it is one of the many things that made me fall for you… But…" Edelgard interrupted herself with laughter once more.

"To… To tell such a brazen, such an extreme lie to such a powerful group of people, so you could whisk me away to eat sweets with me all day?" Edelgard asked, wiping a tear of mirth away. Byleth reached behind him, grabbing a flavour of tart he knew she was fond of, and offered it to her.

"Well, do you want one?" Byleth asked. Edelgard looked at the tart, then at Byleth. She took a step forward, grabbed Byleth's arms and pulled him into a kiss, one that, not to Byleth's displeasure, kept being interrupted by Edelgard's beaming smile and laughter.

* * *

Edelgard let herself submerge into the bath, trying to not pay attention to her bloated stomach from what was, she had to admit, no small amount of indulgence of the sweets. Even now, many hours later, the smile wouldn't leave her face. She'd almost turned down the bath that Byleth had gotten prepared for her, purely because she didn't want to leave his side. As a small compromise, he stood outside the door as a guard, both allowing her to have her privacy, and still being just one call away from her.

Over the course of several hours, she and Byleth had nearly cleared the table. Well, truly, it was mostly her, as Byleth didn't have much of a sweet tooth, but it truly did feel good to indulge. As they talked, she had brought up a conversation she and Byleth had had many years ago, about how she longed for a day of simple idling and gorging herself on sweets. Back then, he had promised they would do it together one day. The thought alone had made her unspeakably happy, but she never thought it would ever come true, especially since it was only a week later that he had disappeared during the siege of Garreg Mach.

Once again she mused at the bizarreness of it all. Byleth had never been one to care much for tradition but… even for him, this was bold. Of course, it made her happy. She cared little for tradition herself, after all. Being limited by the nonsensical traditions of the past was just…

Yet still there are those who _do_ care for it, with many of them being important allies she can't afford to lose. As deeply as she wanted to declare that there wouldn't be any suitors, as she had already found her beloved… Right now, she needed to dangle such a tantalizing possibility of marrying into the Imperial bloodline in front of these people. It would keep them loyal, for now…

Edelgard sighed, letting the water completely soak over her and dipping her head under. Byleth had been right. If Hubert had been here, he'd be in a fit of panic over seeing her neglect her duties like this, and she almost swore she could hear his voice at the back of her mind telling her to get back to her work. But, whilst she had always known Hubert was right, Byleth was right, too. Whilst he was mostly motivated by his love for her, she had to admit, handling such important negotiations when she was so exhausted was… dangerous. It had completely slipped her mind that the Gloucester family held the territory nearest to Lady Huss' until Byleth had mentioned the former Golden Deers. Such a blunder never would have happened if she'd had her wits about her. Edelgard came up for air, pushing her silver hair out of her eyes. She'd been relaxing here only a short while, but already she was eager to get out and rejoin Byleth for the rest of the evening. A small, particularly bold, particularly tradition breaking side of her almost considered calling him to come in and join her…

A thought that ended when she looked at her body. The refraction of the water obscured them, but she knew the myriad of scars to be there. Scars from battle and scars from the experiments. Along her arms, down her legs, her stomach, the most grievous of all being at the centre of her chest. An ugly, deformed gash that never healed properly. Her skin was utterly marred, not at all smooth and soft as one would expect of a lady of noble birth. She closed her eyes, looking away from it. Deep down, she knew that Byleth wouldn't care. That he would smile at her in that comforting way and take her in his arms, kiss her, then lay her down…

She shook her head as if to dislodge the thought. She long ago came to realise that, when it came to her own insecurities, logic often did little to scare them away. It didn't matter if she knew on an intellectual level that Byleth would accept her, even the smallest possibility of him being appalled at what he saw gave her pause. Edelgard sighed again, running her hands through her hair. It was something she'd have to face eventually. But not tonight. Edelgard spent a bit more time relaxing in the water, shampooing her hair and applying a body rub to her skin, before finally washing off and getting out to dry. She stood in-front of her mirror, letting the water drip off onto the towel beneath her feet, and studied herself once again, looking at each and every scar in turn. Remembering the cut of the cold steel, feeling the hot blood running down as she was strapped to the table, helpless to-

She jumped in shock at a knock on the door.

"El? Are you alright?" Byleth called. Edelgard let out a shaky breath.

"Y-yes. I'm fine, My Teacher." Edelgard replied.

"Alright. Hadn't heard any noise in a while and we both know you can't swim." Byleth said. Edelgard gave an exasperated laugh.

"That tub is not deep enough for me to swim in, My Teacher." She said.

"I don't want to take any chances. I don't intend to be drawn and quartered because I let the Emperor drown in her own tub. That's assuming Hubert doesn't get to me first with a far worse fate." Byleth said. Edelgard felt warmth blossom in her chest, memories of the past forgotten. She walked toward the door, leaving her towel behind. Shaking slightly, she slowly moved her hand to the door handle and…

Drew it back.

_How I want you to see me, My Love but… Not yet… I'm not ready just yet._ She thought.

"Byleth?" Edelgard said.

"El?" Byleth replied, clear surprise in his voice to hear her so close, and saying his name at that.

"Thank you for today. I needed it." Edelgard said.

"The day isn't over yet, El. We still have the rest of the evening." Byleth said. Edelgard smiled warmly.

"Yes… We do…" She replied. Turning and grabbing her towel, Edelgard finished drying off and changed into more comfortable clothes, finally inviting Byleth back in. After a while, Luitpold arrived with two maids to help retrieve the bathtub and bring in an assortment of evening snacks and beverages. They passed the rest of the evening chatting idly away, making plans for the future, places they'd go, things they'd do, that both knew wouldn't happen for many, many years.

Before the sun had fully set, Edelgard was yawning, sleep heavy on her eyelids. Her exhaustion had finally caught up with her, it seems.

"You should rest, El." Byleth said. She smiled in return.

"As should you, My Love, you slept as little as I did." She replied.

"Without the burden of nightmares." Byleth said. Her smile lessened slightly.

"I think this day has been restful… and joyful enough that I will be without them tonight. I know you're worried that stepping on the toes' of the nobles could have dire consequences for me, but… I'm glad you took the initiative, My Love." Edelgard said.

"When it comes to taking initiative, I learned from the best." Byleth said, giving her a small grin. Edelgard grinned herself.

"Well, you're not wrong there." She said, yawning. She had been putting this off for as long as possible, she didn't want to be away from him, and who only knew when they'd get another day like this.

"Alright, El. Let's get some sleep." Byleth said, standing up. Edelgard hesitated a moment.

_I can't let him take the initiative all the time now, can I? I may not be ready for some things quite yet, but…_

"Byleth… You don't have to go." Edelgard said.

"Hm?" Byleth asked. Edelgard stood up now too, slowly walking over to him.

"You could stay… You could sleep here." Edelgard said, smiling.

"...Hm?" Byleth replied again, eyes a little too wide.

"I don't want to be apart from you." Edelgard said simply. Byleth's eyes flickered to the door, then to the bed, then back to her.

"I… El… That's not the…" Byleth said. Edelgard gave a soft smile and leaned up to kiss his cheek.

"I just want you to sleep here, My Love." Edelgard said. Byleth inhaled sharply, nervously glancing at the door again.

"Is that… appropriate?" Byleth asked. Edelgard gave a small, confident smile.

"Of course not. It would be the scandal of the decade. And it's incredibly risky. It goes against every expectation of me as a Noble woman." Edelgard said. Byleth inclined his head slightly.

"Now I'm starting to think this is purely because you're looking for another tradition of the nobility to break." Byleth said wryly. Edelgard let out a short laugh.

"I'll admit I do get a certain enjoyment from breaking their antiquated customs." Edelgard said.

"And.. It's risky, if they find out…" Byleth said. Edelgard simply continued to smile.

"If Rhea had found out I was the Flame Emperor she would have killed me. She tried to, actually. I've never let risk stop me from chasing after what I want, My Love, and right now, I want you by my side. We can feasibly get away with this here, my quarters are so isolated. When we return to Garreg Mach…? We won't get a chance." Edelgard said. Byleth once again glanced at the bed, then back to the door. Edelgard leaned onto her tiptoes, and kissed him gently.

"Byleth…" She whispered. Byleth gave a weak smile.

"Ha… I've never been able to deny you anything, have I, El?" Byleth asked. Edelgard gave a small smile of triumph, and pulled him into a deeper kiss.

* * *

After attending to a few night time rituals, and Edelgard ensuring that her honour guard would make sure that _no one_ was to come up to her quarters, Edelgard returned to her room dressed in a very concealing nightgown. Her eyes fixed on Byleth, who was standing by the window, gazing out at the starry sky.

"Byleth." She called. Byleth looked back at her and smiled.

"You look-" He began.

"Please, My Love. I'm dressed down to sleep. Don't try and compliment me." She said lightly. Byleth gave a small grin and moved to sit on the edge of the bed. Edelgard pulled the drapes shut and blew the candles out, before working her way over to the bed in the dark, feeling forward with her hands. As she felt them touch Byleth, she pushed him back onto the bed, encouraging him to move up to make room and get under the blankets. As Byleth made room for her, the pair laid side by side for several minutes, not moving, not speaking, not touching. Even though she'd taken the initiative, now that they were here, she felt… very shy. Slowly, she reached her hand across the sheets, and found Byleth's.

"Byleth…?" Edelgard asked.

"Yes?" He replied. She prepared herself mentally for a second, before rolling onto her side, facing away from him.

"Please… Hold me." She whispered. For a few moments, Byleth didn't move, and she was worried he was too nervous to, or had actually fallen asleep, but at last she felt his weight shifting as he started to lean against her. Edelgard took his arm and wrapped it around her stomach, before nuzzling herself into him. She could feel her face resting against her hair, and his breath breathing down her neck made her shiver slightly.

"Sleep well, Byleth… I love you." Edelgard said.

"I love you, too, El." Byleth replied, tightening his grip on her. The pair didn't speak after that. She simply basked in his warmth, and the feeling of closeness to him. A small part of her still couldn't believe it was happening. Byleth… Her teacher… Her guiding light. From the man who's skill she had respected, to the man she had come to see as a mentor, to the man she came to love. She had never thought he would side with her, yet alone fall in love with her, as she did him. Yet… Now she was in bed, wrapped in his embrace.

When sleep finally claimed her, she dreamt not of her siblings pleading for help, or of the cold, metal knives piercing her flesh. She dreamt of a quiet, unassuming village by a river, of her and Byleth reading to a group of children with a mix of black hair and lavender eyes. She was not the Emperor, and he was not her general. And unlike those children they had read to back in the Alliance lands, these children were their own. That night, Edelgard rested more soundly than she had in over a decade.

* * *

_Author's note: Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Don't fear, this fic isn't going to suddenly go all M rated out of no where! But it's an important element of any relationship, so expect aspects of it to be explored in the future. Having said that, this is (possibly because I might get new ideas) the last fluffy chapter for a while. I haven't decided if I'm going to write the paralogues yet, namely Edelgard's and the Petra/Bernie ones. It's something I'm gonna think over, but either way we'll be returning to some good plot soon. As I'm sure you all know, the counter siege of Garreg Mach is coming up and I have quite a lot of fun ideas to really add my own twist to that. Anyway, see you all soon_


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